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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this transport company is taking the piss?

58 replies

OrangeandGoldMrsDeVere · 04/09/2012 18:48

Ds goes to a SN school.
He gets school transport because it his nearest suitable school and it is nearly 3 miles away.

The company providing the company has been a bit crap at times. Often very ate, frequent cap angle of personnel, poor communication etc.they once forgot to drop my son off at the right place, leaving him traumatised.

But I have sucked it up, bought up the more serious points with the sen team and got on with it.
I appreciate that transport is provided even if it is a bit unrealiable

I have just received my new pick up times for the new term (well I had to phone for them as ds starts on Monday)

They want to pick him up at 8.47am.

There is no way that he will arrive at school on time if he is picked up at this time. There are at least 3 children at his pick up point and one is a wheelchair user. It takes longer to load with chairs because they need to use the lift. They then have to drive through rush hour traffic, at least three sets of lighspts and a major roundabout to get to school.

They journey on a quite morning is at least 15 minutes (google says 8mins, but they do not factor traffic or lights). I am not sure if it's the last pick up point either.

Is it fair that my son is late everyday to school because he has to rely on transport? Does the LEA not have the same responsibilities to get children to school on time as I do?

This is also going to make it impossible for me to get my other children to school for 8.55 and nursery for 9am.

The borough pay a huge amount for this service. It should be fit for purpose. Just because my son has SN doesn't mean it's ok for him to miss school.

Last term pick up was 8.17. It would have been a rush to get them all in but doable.

Now I don't know how it's going to work out.

OP posts:
Sirzy · 04/09/2012 18:52

Yanbu. I would phone the company and ask how they intend to guarantee your DS will be on time for school most days. Can you talk to other parents at the pick up and all push for change together? Perhaps the company/lea will listen more to a collective voice?

threesocksmorgan · 04/09/2012 19:00

it is so wrong(but as you know I am having my own shit with transport at the moment)
can you get the school involved in complaining?
as for the other kids, I have a friend who had this problem, her other kids were late so often, they ended up being taken in a LEA taxi.
but keep complaining to the school transport people at the council, shout loudly

Original poster
OrangeandGoldMrsDeVere · 04/09/2012 19:02

Thanks sirzy.
When the company told me the times imexpressed my concerns. They said 'oh don't worry, it takes ages to unload anyway, he won't get in trouble for being late,no one will mind'

Hmm

I have contacted sen team. V. Unhelpful. Kept saying ' well they must have worked it out properly,why not wait and see?' I had to insist they contacted company.

It's such a slack attitude to schooling

OP posts:
threesocksmorgan · 04/09/2012 19:03

how can it have been worked out, it makes no sense at all.

jkklpu · 04/09/2012 19:03

yanbu - call and check it's not a misprint and they meant 8.17 as per last year as your opening gambit, then get into why 8.47am is useless

threesocksmorgan · 04/09/2012 19:04

oh and the company are discriminating, by saying it doesn't matter,

Original poster
OrangeandGoldMrsDeVere · 04/09/2012 19:05

One of my friends was told her son was going to be picked up at 9.15 and picked up from school at 2.30!

Ffs
I want to avoid taxis. Ds can manage fine on a bus and he would miss the social side.

This company charges 8k a term per child!

OP posts:
Original poster
OrangeandGoldMrsDeVere · 04/09/2012 19:07

I am pushing them but it's made me feel quite upset that so little importance has been placed on my son's schooling.

I mean he has LDs so it won't matter cigar he is late will it, it's not like proper school Hmm

OP posts:
Original poster
OrangeandGoldMrsDeVere · 04/09/2012 19:08

I wish I had thought of that jkkipu

OP posts:
Sirzy · 04/09/2012 19:10

What a shocking attitude :( I know 2 children who attend different special schools and the transport they both have to school is fantastic and tailored to the needs of the child ensuring they get to school on time. Every child's education is important not just those without learning difficulties.

BlackberryIce · 04/09/2012 19:18

I think the bigger issue is that it will make everyone else late too!

Original poster
OrangeandGoldMrsDeVere · 04/09/2012 19:43

blackberry it's not an issue with the youngest so much but very much an issue with DC4 who is starting reception on Monday :(

My dcs are never late to school. I am a real stickler for punctuality.

OP posts:
Sirzy · 04/09/2012 19:46

I know it's not ideal but while things are getting sorted do have anyone who could take the others to school ( a parenting heading that way?) or wait with your DS?

Original poster
OrangeandGoldMrsDeVere · 04/09/2012 19:54

I am trying to sort this sirzy. I can't let someone take DC 4 to school yet because it's his first week.
DC 3 has asd as well as LDs so gets very worried about changes.

It looks like another parent will have to put him on the bus on Monday and the idea is very upsetting

I can't be sure he will get on.

I am getting a bit stressed

OP posts:
DozyDuck · 04/09/2012 19:57

8k???? No wonder they won't give DS transport and would rather pay me fuel allowance and have me in school once a week for injury/ almost crashing when DS doesn't want to go to school and I'm on my own with him!

Original poster
OrangeandGoldMrsDeVere · 04/09/2012 19:59

They charge more for wheelchair users because they take up more space Hmm

A family was turned down for a place in a neighbouring borough because transport would be 50k a year!!!!!

It's a racket

OP posts:
Original poster
OrangeandGoldMrsDeVere · 04/09/2012 20:01

I would rather take him but it's not possible because of the other children.it would certainly be quicker and I wouldn't have to stand in the feckin rain for a late bus!

But it's terrible you have been refused it.

OP posts:
Sirzy · 04/09/2012 20:02

Do they just pluck these figures out of thin air? Complete madness!

blueemerald · 04/09/2012 20:04

Please push this. I worked in a special school last year and one of the buses arriving late every day (with 3 of our 8 students on) was hugely disruptive for our class. We had to keep staff by the door to receive the students and both the late students and students already in class found it very distressing. I, sadly, think the best thing you could do was try and get the staff in his class to complain about his lateness/distress upon arrival. I found we were always taken more seriously than the parents Sad

Original poster
OrangeandGoldMrsDeVere · 04/09/2012 20:06

I will.
I can't bear the unfairness of it

OP posts:
LollipopViolet · 04/09/2012 20:17

I had this when I was on transport to college. They didn't care, I had to keep pressuring the college's transport team, was late every day for over a year til the company lost the contract.

And my driver picked on me, with the help of the other student (2 male, me the lone girl). It was awful.

Original poster
OrangeandGoldMrsDeVere · 04/09/2012 21:11

That's awful lollipop

OP posts:
SmellsLikeTeenStrop · 04/09/2012 21:29

I'd be livid. If your other DCs are persistently late, it'll be you getting the nasty letters and the threats of being reported to the education social worker if punctuality does not improve.

Is it the LEA who sorts out transport arrangements? If so, could you find out from them if the transport company has any contractual obligation to deliver children to school on time?

Original poster
OrangeandGoldMrsDeVere · 04/09/2012 21:32

I got a lot of flannel from lea.
I had to refuse to put the phone down before he agreed to even phone the company.
I am going to have a quick look at my law stuff on education.

Thanks all. I thought I might get a flaming

OP posts:
TheBigJessie · 04/09/2012 23:22

MrsDeVere, YANBU!