Is It Okay For Bus Drivers To Kick People Of The Bus?

Question

I would think that they have a right to kick people off the bus, yes, but is there a limit to that?

Can they kick people off just because of their age or that they were in the wrong spot at the wrong time?

There was a situation back in high school where a group of us high school kids would catch a public bus and all sit at the back.
One kid tyed one of the handles to the rope thing so that it wouldn't stop buzzing.
The furious bus driver demanded to know who did it. I had no idea, I had been busy talking to my friend and some of the others hadn't seen it. The ones who did weren't going to say who.
So the bus driver said that everyone of the school kids had to get off the bus, even if they said they didnt see what happened.

We were going to be kicked off just because we were sitting nearby and wore a school uniform... I know it's difficult to the bus driver, but is it really fair to kick them off with no way of getting home and possibly no way of contacting anyone?

What are a bus driver’s rights and a passengers rights?
I’ve seen cases where people are physically abusing someone on the bus and the bus driver just ignores it. Maybe because they happen to be adults and not school kids? I don’t know.

What would you have done in that situation? Do you think it’s all a bit bias or can you see how it is fair enough?

My question wasn’t suppose to come out whiny, that wasn’t my intention here. Sorry if it seems like it.

Also typo in the heading, *off

@ thisisme: Whoa, what a minute, I’m the reason why bus drivers have such a hard time? Just because I was a high school student and sat at the back, doesn’t mean I was a loud, annoying, and immature (or harassing anyone).

I do agree with the answers so far, thanks. While at the time, it did offend and upset me to be kicked off when I did nothing wrong, I understand that they have a very stressful job and someone was being quite an idiot. And trust me, we were very annoyed at the kid who did end up being the one to pull the prank.

@ missy7373: Thanks for your answer.
Buses only come once an hour in that area, which is unfortunate because my parents use to be the type that panicked and phoned the police if I was late or something (it fortunetely didn't come to that though).
Lol, and to think I was considering being a bus driver. It seems a lot more stressful and difficult than I originally thought.

@ Tmarie99: *sigh* -_- ... As I mentioned, I did not know who it was.
I should also mention that this guy was not a friend of mine, he wasn't even from the same school.
While I was in the very back row, he was 3 or 4 rows from the back. That entire area was students.

I will say though that most of the answers have been good so far. I do believe now that he made the right choice to kick us all off, but that doesn't mean that the situation was my fault in any way. I had nothing to do with it, and I don't find pranks like that funny.

Answer 1

I think that the driver was right to do so for the same reason that Pepper explained. If no one confessed to doing it how could he be "fair" and punish the troublesome passenger. The only way of handling that situation was to eliminate all potential nuisances. I know it may sound very rude and callous, but the truth of it is that bus drivers provide a service and they do not get paid nearly as much as they should. Therefore, passengers that are being a pain in the *** should be denied the service. It may have seemed like something simple or funny, but something like that takes away from the concentration that should be put into his/her driving. I hate to be so dramatic, but what if an accident had occurred or if someone (a pedestrian) had gotten hurt. The driver needed to put an end to potential hazards. Perhaps, I'm just a biased bus driver.
oh and about the "no way of getting home"... wasn't there another city bus coming in 15-30 mins? Now if it were a school bus, it would be horribly wrong to drop off your student since it is that bus drivers responsibility to get the student home safely and there aren't other safe or low liability options for kids. Since you were already riding public transportation, you were already taking the risk that comes with public transportation.

Answer 2

Wow. In the case you described, since no one owned up to the misdeed, the bus driver was right to kick you all off as you were in the same group. It happens and what was done was intentional vandalism to public transportation property. Good thing he didn't call the cops instead. Bus drivers have to endure a lot during their shifts, but when passengers become abusive or disruptive, out ya go! There's no law against it.

Answer 3

The job of a bus driver is one of the most stressful jobs a person can have. That and air traffic controllers. The bus driver is responsible for the safety of a good many people all day long.

I believe that it is the right of the bus driver to refuse service to anyone he feels it necessary to refuse service to.

Yes, if I had been that bus driver, and no one saw saw who committed the prank... and no one was fessin' up, I surely would ask every uniform-wearing student to please leave the bus. And if they did not, I would call my boss or follow whatever protocol was necessary to make sure those students were removed.

It's not a funny prank when you consider that everyone's safety is dependent on that bus driver's ability to focus his full attention on the traffic.

**EDIT**
If you say you are innocent, I believe you. Here's the lesson for you... next time you get on the public transportation bus, DON'T sit with all the other students... maybe you and your friends should make sure you sit well away from the other students.

**EDIT re: Dr. Melissa**
Rosa Parks was indeed removed from the bus. She was, in fact, arrested. She was already sitting in the back of the bus, as the then Jim Crow laws decreed she must. She was already doing the "right thing." The problem occurred when she refused to give her seat up to a white man, as the bus was full. She was tired from her day's work and had had enough. And good for her. She refused to give up her seat to a white man (and why should she have? Men are supposed to give up their seats for women), so the bus driver called the police. She went to jail, and THAT kicked off the civil rights movement.

Get your history right, hon, if you are going to cite the heroic Ms. Parks as an example.

Answer 4

Is your mom nonetheless married inclusive of your father? if so, then it fairly is extremely unusual that the bus driving force flirts inclusive of your mom and he or she does not care approximately it. All bus drivers are unlike that. you're able to document him for swearing and harassment on your college board. He could get suspended or fired. Bus drivers are no longer meant to act like that.

Answer 5

I think in that situation it was fair because noone was confeessing. but there are some cases where the bus driver is just plain stupid i mean in high school my mum organised for me to get on at a stop out the front of my estate. she organised it with the bus station boss. then my bus driver says a few days later thet i shouldnt be cathcing there becoz hes used to piking me up at another stop bcoz i recently moved. he said i would have to catch another bus to transfer to a stop closer to my school. So then one day in the morning he drives staright past me and doesnt bother to stop. My mum complained and he almost got fired bcoz he thinx my stop wasnt a stop for him even though the boss told him to go there but anyway i think what the bus driver on your bus did was fair but my bus driver is just a retard. Just an interesting fact. In primar school my bus was so bad that it got rid of 6 bus drivers in 1 term. just thort u might like to know that lol

Answer 6

When i was a bratty kid, I kept getting off the school bus at the wrong stop just to tick off the driver, plus I wanted to go home w/ my friend. Eventually, one day he left me there. I was no where near my house and no adults were around at that time. So, I basically had to either walk or tell on myself. He got the last laugh..

Answer 7

IMO, driving any bus is one of the worst jobs on the planet. People like you and your friends are the reason why; driving a bus is difficult and stressful enough, traffic, size of vehicle, etc without having to deal with immature people refuse to control themselves for the duration of the ride. Also, by harrassing the driver, you endanger and annoy everyone else on the bus. I would have done the exact same thing...think outside the box just once and think about the other person. Can't be selfish and childish all your life.

Answer 8

What the bus driver did was the right thing. By removing everyone he covered himself.

It's interesting to note that you are quick to blame the bus driver for getting thrown off the bus as opposed to the person who caused the problem.

Answer 9

He has the right to kick misbehaving passengers off the bus, or drive them to the police station and hand them over to the police if they steal from other passengers, molest someone or vandalise the bus.

Answer 10

I think what the driver did was fine, and yes - it's fair. No one confessed and he did what any sane individual would do - drop the lot.

Only a cretin would go so far to annoy someone that can dump them on the side of the road.