Why Is This Bus Driver Out Of A Job
Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 10:07PM Ok if you are not at work and you are in an altercation that results in no criminal prosecution how are you out of a job?
Here is the story of driver who was involved in a fight on a bus while off duty.
Now I know this driver and know he is not a nut. If a fight started I'm sure it was not one sided. I believe that the DA not pressing charges sort of backs this up.
So the question remains, why is this bus driver out of a job?
See one of the problems is this; Lots of people know that bus drivers want to keep their jobs. So they believe that it's open season on bus drivers. We get punched, hit, spit on and we seldom resist. I have been threatened to the point that I feared for my life. To the point that if I had a weapon there would have been a dead body and that would not have been me.
Trimet would love it if every driver had a black belt in opossum style Kung Fu. You know, where the driver sits there does nothing and gets the crap knocked out of them. That would be a liability lawyers dream and that would be trimets dream, especially those that do not sit in the drivers seat and never have.
This opossum style Kung Fu does not extend to the time you are not behind the wheel. Uniform or no if you are threatened you can defend your self just like any human being on earth. You no longer are a punching bag.
If there is no crime, this driver deserves his job back its as simple as that.
One thing I can say for sure is I don’t think this so called “victim” will be engaging in an altercation with a driver any time soon for that this bus driver has done us all a favor.
[Dan Christensen]
news has a way of changing and there is more information since last night.
Hard Drive Oregonian Blog
So there have been some changes in the news about the "strangulation" being pushed. but that's ok. A fair Trial will get to the truth that neither blogs nor one sided information will confirm.
I will say that
1. Drivers can defend them self.
2. Let a trial determine who is guilty. A trial is not guilt.
3. Off duty is off duty and a driver should not lose their job.
Lastly most violence and threats in and around bus drivers do not get reported.
[Dan Christensen]
hey I have a question
This guy who is saying he was attacked by a trimet driver. what is his record? has he had assaults before? I'm sure of our drivers history but I am curious if anyone has looked up who this guy is. what if he had 5 assaults would this be viewed the same way?
Reader Comments (1)
If a crime wasn't committed and the person in question wasn't working then there is no reason to terminate the TriMet driver. Let's say the TriMet driver was wearing a TriMet uniform. Then there's some room to discuss policies. Though termination seems harsh compared to having a couple of days off. Or mandatory "anger" counseling paid by TriMet.
It takes many years to train TriMet drivers. They are assets and not a liability.