To report bus driver that bullied DS

Not quite.

Wheelchair users do legally have priority. Bus drivers must do more than simply 'ask' other users of the space to move, however they cannot go so far as to physically remove.

In practice what they should do is refuse to move the bus until the person occupying the space inappropriately, shifts. However for fairly obvious reasons, not every bus driver wants to or will do this.
The BBC's reporting of the case is pretty clear.

Yes report most bus companies have a pretty good online form you can fill out. Bus drivers manners have been going downhill lately just like Royal Mail service

You do realise that some of us disabled people are also parents don't you? Our rights are not and should not be in competition with each other. The fact is that it is generally easier to fold a buggy than for a disabled person to transfer from their wheelchair into a regular seat and somehow fold their chair up. In this scenario, the parent with the buggy should usually be the one to make space as they will generally have more flexibility than a wheelchair user. I have a one-year-old of my own so I am completely aware of all the pressures placed on parents and have extensive experience of not wanting to wake a baby who is finally napping and also of negotiating around with a buggy. However, I am also severely physically disabled and I know the stress and upset that can be caused by a non-disabled person assuming it is fine for them to use services or facilities designed to facilitate accessibility. I believe that, most of the time, it is thoughtlessness and lack of consideration rather than active malice, which leads to people disregarding the needs of disabled people. However, most of us can tell of occasions when we have been unable to attend appointments because all the disabled parking spots were occupied by those without blue badges, or occasions when we have to queue for ages for the single accessible toilet in the building because non-disabled people have decided they would rather use it than the regular facilities. For many people not being able to access blue badge parking or suitable toilets is extremely serious as they do not have an alternative. The non-disabled person could choose to park further away or use regular toilets where fore many disabled folks that is not an option.

the point is we never have both sides of the story but MN always takes things at face value and the tone of this thread seeking formal retribution against a bus driver for one of many incidents they have to deal with on a weekly basis is symptomatic of the general attitude on here.

What did he have to be frustrated about though? Someone asked for a ticket- he should’ve just sold them one.

Its not the OPs DS who has to roll with the punches, it’s society that needs to understand that not every person is the same.

The wheelchair rules sound rather toothless to me. In general I've noticed a lot of bus drivers that seem to resent stopping to pick people up and asking buggies to move for a wheelchair takes longer .

This lady didn’t go to court did she? Arriva just paid her because essentially the drivers hadn’t asked the buggy users “is it possible to accommodate a wheelchair user to?”, if the driver had been told “no, there isn’t” the driver would be clear. Thst and being left at the stop, and other wrongdoings resulted in a smallish payout for Ms Grant, it didn’t change any laws for the greater good of the community.

Doug Pauley was on the news constantly about ten years ago. Didn’t First come to an agreement ultimately with him.

There is a man on u tube at the moment, he was on the BBC news a couple of weeks ago, and he was clearly told by the BBC and TfL, that the driver had done what she was supposed to, and him saying what he was saying was wrong. If the driver hadn’t of followed procedure, he would have being right.

This case from 2023 may be of interest to you. I am aware it took place in London but it still appears relevant to the discussion.
https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/bus-company-settles-legal-action-over-wheelchair-space-humiliation/

100% right!

My brother struggled as a child, mum was helping him pay for something in a shop once, telling him he needed a certain coin… the person on the tills was really rude, eye rolling and tutting… really upset my mum.

These people who don’t have any patience or empathy really shouldn’t work with people… The bus driver needs more trainer!

Yes, he should know that. The driver wasn't dealing with someone being deliberately difficult ir saying rude things or banging on the door as other examples on this thread.
He literally just had to print a ticket as was politely requested by DS's friend but chose not to do so, instead chose to insist he was spoken to directly and refusing to give a ticket when reasonably asked.
There are plenty of people, often men, who enjoy getting to 'correct' peoples manners as a form of bullying, and they usually target women and young people. We all know that if OP's DS had been a six foot four and in his thirties, the driver would have almost certainly not insisted he speak up.
It sounds like a little power trip, nothing else. If he can't cope with non verbal people trying to buy a bus ticket then he can't do the job.

Yep complain!
Email the bus company and explain your sons anxiety and autism and explain that catching a bus is a HUGE step for your son, say that the driver was completely out of order and that actually his behaviour humiliated your son and that the driver discriminated against a young person with a disability! How was this driver to know your son isn’t deaf/ can’t talk etc…
The boy being rude back is irrelevant, why wouldn’t someone be rude to someone who was being a dick!!

This is discrimination and needs reporting, write in your complaint that this bus driver is representing their company and that his poor customer service reflects bery badly on them. Tell them you expect a response in accordance with their complaints policy. (Look on line and find their policy for complaining - it’s probably an on line form!)

It was Ken Livingstone who introduced it all. He changed the bus network by taking ideas from the Japanese bus system

And the reason there is now wheelchair access is because wheelchair users fought very hard for it. Only for selfish, lowlife parents to muscle in on the space and refuse to move.

Thinking it's weird to care about wheelchair users says so much about what kind of person you are.

the world has so moved on hasn’t it.

twenty years ago everyone except pensioners after 9am paid.

no free under 18 travel

no wheelchair access

no pushchair access

it was impossible to get on a bus with a sleeping child or two and a good shop from leave!

Yet today, sadly, we have wheelchair users going to court and losing thru appeal that they cannot tell someone who has paid for travel to move.

we also have a weird person telling everyone they are a lowlife if they don’t move on a 19 seater bus that only holds one wheelchair or one pram

I’m grateful it’s easier to get on buses for all, but sadly when buses are cut and made smaller because less people don’t/won’t pay!

Ridiculous behaviour from the driver. This is not an unusual or rude way to pay for bus tickets. When DH and I get the bus (we've been getting it quite regularly lately due to parking issues in a nearby town we like to visit) one or other of us always pays for both tickets, it just saves time.

Mocking people with a disability is unacceptable. As PP have said, he needs to wear a lanyard with an attachment explaining he’s non verbal, I’m not surprised the friend was rude to this ableist arsehat!

Even if his friend was rude (by the sound of it the driver was a dick), I think he sounds brilliant. I'd take them both out for a treat (or pay for one), travelling by bus.
I hope it hasn't put DS off too much.

Nah you're absolutely a lowlife if you don't move for a wheelchair user.

This bus driver decided that it wasn’t ok for DS’s friend to ask for the ticket, that DS had to do it himself and that he was rude not to
And that he, was holding the bus up .... Come on, that makes no sense at all.

Because some officious muppets think people who don’t jump through the social hoops of saying the right words at the right time, making the right amount of eye contact, are rude. Have you really never heard anyone tell a shy child to ‘speak up, don’t be so rude’, ‘say thank you’ etc.

This bus driver decided that it wasn’t ok for DS’s friend to ask for the ticket, that DS had to do it himself and that he was rude not to.

So all DS did to be called rude was- nothing.

Yes complain.

But also work on solutions. Why aren't you using the bus app to buy tickets? Surely the company has an app?

Also could DS carry a card that says he has selective mutism (is that the right wording?) That he could just offer to people. I know it shouldn't matter but it would potentially help in situations like the above (you cant account for dickheads).

Missed the point on purpose. This was shocking behaviour by an adult towards a child- I would have struggled not to be rude

Honestly it’s so basic these days to be more aware that some people have additional needs and surely it would be part of training in this sector

even my reception child is more aware than this driver !

If a job is so hard why add on extra tasks like teaching the public about how you think they should behave? He's not paid to be an etiquette coach, just take the money, hand over the ticket and get on with the route. Stick to your job.

There’s always one jeez read the full post!