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Riders claim driver stormed off NV bus

Irked passenger files complaint with TransLink

A North Vancouver commuter has filed a complaint with TransLink after a bus driver reportedly overreacted to grumbles from passengers by dressing them down and then refusing to drive any farther.

"To treat a busload of adults like a carload of kids, it's really not appropriate," said Greg Robinson, who was heading to work at Capilano University on the 239 bus when the incident happened. "If people have legitimate complaints, you have to hear them out."

Robinson said it was between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. when the first bus driver on the route began having trouble with a jammed fare box and stopped to try to fix it. "He took an awfully long time trying to deal with it," said Robinson.

By that time the bus was running late. When the bus reached the depot on 3rd Street, the driver got off and a new driver boarded the bus. But Robinson said right from the beginning, things didn't seem right.

"He was standing by his seat," said Robinson. "Everybody was wondering what was going on."

Finally Robinson said he walked to the front of the bus and asked in what he described as a polite tone if they could get moving.

Another passenger then spoke up, saying, "Yeah, could you sit down and drive please."

Robinson said at that point the driver glowered at the shocked passengers telling them, "If anyone else speaks up, we're not going anywhere."

Robinson said he then made a comment about free speech not being allowed on the bus. The driver then turned off the bus and walked off.

"People were stunned and nobody said anything," said Robinson.

Soon another 239 bus pulled up and the passengers got on and continued their journey.

But Robinson said the incident annoyed him enough to complain to TransLink.

"I think enough is enough," he said. Robinson said he appreciates that bus drivers have stressful jobs.

"I think they do a fine job generally," he said.

But, he added, "If they are that close to the breaking point at 10 in the morning, they need to make some adjustments."

Don MacLeod, president of the Canadian Auto Workers that represents the bus drivers, is standing by the driver, saying according to what he's been told, the driver felt harassed by the passengers.

As soon as the driver got on the bus, "There was an immediate attack verbally on him," said MacLeod. "It bothered him to the point he took a step back."

MacLeod said bus drivers usually try to diffuse conflicts on the bus, but added sometimes there are concerns that a situation might escalate when multiple passengers are involved.

Robinson said he's still taking the bus, and hasn't had any other problems. He said he has yet to hear back from TransLink or Coast Mountain Bus about his complaint.

Calls to Coast Mountain Bus were not returned by press time.

jseyd@nsnews.com