Hutt mother with pram slams the attitude of bus drivers

PRIYANKA BHONSULE

Won't bother: Taking the bus has become a frustrating exercise for Kerryn Hailwood, 20, with a pram she has to fold down and two children Seth, 1, and nine-month-old Anthony to carry on, without any help.

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For two years, Kerryn Hailwood has suffered numerous problems getting her two children and a pram on board Valley Flyer buses.

The young mum says she has been through it all, from bus drivers refusing to stop when they see her with a pram to having her student ID refused because she had a child with her.

"They [bus drivers] refused to let me on when the pram was folded and when it wasn't folded.

"They've been angry because I've taken a while to get on the bus but they will sit and watch as I struggle on with two kids and prams. In some cases, they've started driving before I've found a seat and I'm carrying a baby in my arms."

This isn't the first complaint Hutt News has received from frustrated parents about the rules around folded prams, the difficulty that ensues when they have to get on with pram and child, along with making sure they have the right fare ready.

Ms Hailwood says her biggest problem is the lack of continuity  in the fares she's quoted, in the service she receives and the information she is told.

"You can't have one bus driver saying it's OK to have an unfolded pram [on the bus] and another say you have to fold it. There needs to be proper advertising because nobody knows bus drivers aren't supposed to help."

Valley Flyer general manager Matthew Lear has spoken at length with Ms Hailwood and says he can sympathise with her situation.

"Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to some of the difficulties she and other parents of small children encounter when they take public transport."

In regards to buses driving past when not appearing full, Mr Lear says some of the buses on the 120 route, which Ms Hailwood uses, are not licensed to take standing loads.

"So, while they may appear empty, they may in fact have a full load of seated passengers."

He says that for health and safety reasons, drivers are not supposed to leave their seats and prams are supposed to be folded so they do not create a hazard by blocking the aisle.

But he admits it's "always disappointing" to hear a customer has not received the kind of service expected.

"I will be reinforcing with drivers our instructions around student fares and allowing passengers time to find a seat before moving off.

"These things are fundamental to good customer service and it is what we expect of all of our drivers."

As for Ms Hailwood, she prefers to take trains rather than buses these days as there is more room for the pram and she has found the staff to be more courteous.

"With buses, it's different service every time but it's getting progressively worse," she says.

- Hutt News

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