new driver...grrr

[cory]

Sorry, just a very unimportant rant, but I know you're patient and understanding.

Dd's been using the disabled taxi since the start of term and it's been great, lovely driver, big difference to her wellbeing. But this week we've got a new driver and I cannot take to him.

The first day he turned up 25 minutes early, then he's late. (seeing that he is catering for one child with anxiety problems and one autistic child, this is not great. It's not traffic, dd says he just does a really weird route).

On the first day he wouldn't get out of the car to help with the wheelchair until I stared him out of it (evil emoticon).

Yesterday according to dd he arrived at the Junior school before they were open and let the autistic boy out on his own to go and bang the door without supervision. This is a boy who is never let to do anything without supervision.

He parked in the middle of the road in the afternoon (enormous queue building up behind him) because he was too lazy to park in a parking space and take the wheelchair across the road. Dd's been getting the impression that this wheelchair (small, lightweight, foldable) is an inconvenience to him.

This morning he turned to me and said: 'I hope you won't mind my asking, but I see your daughter walking all over the place (yeah, as of out of the house into the taxi). And yet I'm carting this wheelchair back and forwards every day?' (subtext: I shouldn't have to do this, she can't be disabled if she can walk)

I wouldn't have minded if it hadn't been for the strong suggestion that it is too much trouble for him. I explained very patiently that dd can only walk a short distance and may collapse any time. I wish I'd made it a bit more graphic (joints dislocating, that sort of thing).

But it does worry me, that these disabled children are in the charge of a man who has no understanding of disability. Dd will probably be all right- if she collapses he'll jolly well have to take notice, but what about the autistic boy? What if he runs into the road? It's hard for me to speak to anyone as I haven't actually seen it and the boy goes to a different school. I've told dd she must say something, but she seems to think it's a dreadful thing to criticise and adult stranger.

Grrrrring with you . Not surprised you can't take to him, he sounds like a complete twatface.

Talk to the school, they should pass it on to the transport people. Do they not have an escort?

No, they don't. I wouldn't mind if they stuck to just one driver (and him the reliable one!), but if I don't know who's going to be picking her up then I feel a bit less comfortable about it. Though it is a well known taxi firm; they're not giving the job to any old cowboy. (But clearly to someone who knows sod all about disability .

I would have thought it would be part of the contract to brief any driver who picks up from the schools - surely there can't be confidentiality issues that mean you can't say to a driver what kind of help the children require? (though how he can miss that this boy is autistic I don't know, my 8yo had worked that out through just seeing him in the playground).

I feel awkward about going into this other school and talking to them about something I only know through hearsay. If I'd seen it, it would be a lot easier. (also a lot easier if this hadn't been the school that mucked up with dd's disability years ago, we haven't always been on very good terms)

As usual, the government guidance is that LEAs should arrange for drivers/escorts to be trained in the conditions of the children they are transporting, ideally by their school staff. But this is "guidance" and "best practice" so they don't bother. .

What to do depends a bit on your school - the contract is between LEA and the taxi firm so many schools like to keep out of it. Others will support you but like you to raise it with LEA first. And a few are happy to go into battle on your behalf. Re: the boy with ASD - I don't suppose there is any way you could slip a (sealed) note into his bag for his mum? If I was his mum I'd want to know.

I can't believe he let the autistic boy go to the door without supervision. If I was his mum I would want to know - even if it came from your daughter and you can't be sure. Perhaps she has concerns too. I know it's awkward going to the other school (been in similar situation myself) but I think you should - let them decide what to do with the info. Or tell your dds school and see if they can contact the other school?

Will speak to dd tonight to get full story. Wish I knew this boy's Mum so I could get in touch with her. I don't actually meet the boy in the morning.

This is terrible. Does the autistic boy go to the same school. If not I'd ring his school and complain loudly. Or ask them to give the parent your number so she can ring you. Sealed note a good idea too.

Hope your dd is OK as well.

Dd just in. Today she was 15 minutes late for school. It turned out he picks the other girl up in the street, but did not actually have her house number. She wasn't there (because he was late already so she had gone into the house), so he just sat in the car for 15 minutes, without making any effort to ring his office and find out where she lived. In the end he drove off without her and she had to rely on a relative to get her to school.

Also, today in the car he told the autistic boy that he was talking a load of drivel . I'm going to have to write to the LEA, aren't I? I'll just check his car number tomorrow so they get the right one and I don't get the nice man into trouble.

Your LEA should have a transport complaints policy. Ours says "only contact us if you have failed to sort it out directly with the cab company". I think this is an exception, tbh, but I'm just mentioning so you are forewarned what they may say and can bulldozer straight over them!

Complain!!

Did a sort of halfway house and had an informal chat with the driver this morning. He had been told nothing about the children, said he had thought the autistic boy was 'very sensible', though the other girl (until recently in a plaster case) had transport because of family circumstances (so that's why he thinks it's ok to pick her up from the next street ).

Dd is off today, but will ask her to keep an eye.

Would add that I feel very bad discussing other people's children with this person. It feels like breaking confidentiality, though to be fair, this is not information I have been told in confidence, it's what the whole neighbourhood knows. Still feel bad . But I'd feel a whole lot worse if an accident did happen.

But what if he says something to the boy? Mind you, if I'd gone to his boss, they'd have talked to him and he might equally well have said something unsuitable then.

cory, I had issues with my taxi to college a lot. First term was great, small company, lovely driver. The next term, and up til the later term of my second year, was hell. One driver was just irritating and said "If you're blind, how can you do a media course?" I'm not blind for a start, surely the lack of cane/guide dog would tell him. Then the next driver was constantly making me late, talking about his sex life and ripping it out of me. The last driver I had was brilliant, super helpful, friendly....it's just luck of the draw.

Hoooray! We've got the real driver back. Seems the other one was only a temporary replacement while the nice man was having his car fixed. Am now very happy

That's great! It's hard enough putting your child on a bus/taxi with virtual strangers without people like that! Ds' escort and driver are really nice and it does make a huge difference!