Anyone know what the law is here with buses and bus drivers?

[Monkeytrousers]

A girl - about 10 or 11 - tried to get on the bus I was on today with a ticket but saying she didn't have her pass. She didn;t say if it was lost or if she'd forgotten it, but the driver told her straight away that she wasn't getting on the bus. I then paid her fare home.

I was under the impression that a child who is in some difficulty (and anyone actually) and is trying to get home was entitled to use the oublic transport. Obvioulsy they don't shout it around as they don;t want peple abusing it - but surely it isn't policy to leave a child stranded because they have lost their pass.

She was tiny too - and on her own.

I have the ticket with the drivers id on and am going to ring up on Mon but just thought I'd ask.

she had a ticket but no pass? you mean the proof of age bit?

I remember having problems because I had a weekly pass supplied by my school and some drivers wouldn't let me use it on the weekend. The bus company said a child should never be thrown off the bus for not having the right fare or ticket. He could have called his garage and asked for someone to come and collect her or taken her details so that they could contact her parents later or just been a decent human being and let her on.

Is that what a pass is? She was very obviously under 16

I would think pass means bus pass. But I'm confused what you mean when you say she had a ticket but not a pass.

Well all the kids up here seem to have a ticket and a seperate pass. She had the ticket (kids fare I presume) but not her pass to prove she was a kid - which she obvioulsy was.

never mind, the bus company will know

I am sure the driver was being a sod - imagione if it was your child?

I should imagine it will be a permanent section ID photo card that's used for buying the second part that proves you've paid for a week/ month/ whatever travel. Neither one is valid for travel without the other. But a driver should have some compassion for such a young child on their own.

My family used to work in this field and bus driver are obliged to allow children to travel no matter what the circumstances, if the child cannot pay they have to take the childs name and address and let the child
travel and collect fare by letter.

I think there are different rules if the child damages or is threatening on the bus.

I remember it being in the press a few times here were the bus company had to apologise for not allowing children on.

however they CAN charge a more expensive fare if a under age pass isnt shown but if the child cant pay that they are still suppposed to allow them to travel and as far as I know (it might have changed) a child of 10 or 11 doesnt need a proof of age pass.

this was company policy anyway Im trying to have a look for something regarding the law.

That is what I thought NLAWM

they just told me that they have a policy of issuing emergency tickets for kids under 16 and that the driver should not have refused her

That's good, are they going to do something about it? Did you find out who she was at all?

Yes they are following it up. I had the driver number on the ticket.

Just a local girl I think. She got off in my village