Probe after school bus driver leaves kids stranded 20 minutes from usual stop

An after-school bus journey in South Auckland took a potentially “frightening” turn this week, with youngsters told to shut up before being dropped off in an unfamiliar area and made to find their own way home. 

The incident, on the first day of Term 4, has prompted an internal investigation, an apology from Auckland Transport (AT) and raised safety concerns from parents and the school. 

According to multiple parents, a “bus full” of students from Greenmeadows Intermediate School in Manurewa were taken on a rogue route and dropped off in an area “not familiar” to them on Monday. 

Principal Cathy Chalmers said the school was aware of the incident and “raised our concern” with the bus company and AT. 

AT apologised for the “upsetting” incident and said the bus operator, Ritchies, is investigating. 

Joshua Thornton, whose 13-year-old daughter was on the bus, said students were dropped off at Eugenia Rise, about a 20-minute walk from the usual stop at the Hillpark shops, and left to find their way home. 

“All the students noticed that the bus was going a different route,” Thornton told the Herald. 

“There’s always different drivers apparently. So the kids told the driver that they were going the wrong way and told them which way the route goes. 

“The driver wasn’t hearing any of it and told the kids to be quiet, shut up and then continued on his route.” 

The driver allegedly “made them get out” in an unfamiliar area and refused to let the kids back on the bus. 

Thornton said it was “frightening” and “could’ve easily gone wrong”, claiming the driver failed to take responsibility for the safety of the students. 

“He closed the door on them and yelled at them all,” Thornton said. “The young ones don’t have phones, straight out of primary school into their first year at intermediate and being dropped off somewhere they don’t know.” 

His daughter told him a few children looked “a bit distressed” about “not knowing where they were”. 

Other parents have echoed Thornton’s concerns and questioned what safety measures are in place for their children. 

AT general manager network management Duncan McGrory said the bus operator is investigating the incident with the driver involved. 

“We have followed up with the bus operator and are treating this matter as a priority with them,” McGrory told the Herald. 

“We’re sorry to hear these children have had this experience, which would have been upsetting for both them and their parents. 

“School trips are a priority for Auckland Transport and our operators. We have made it clear to operators that, where they are having issues, school trips should be prioritised over other contracted or commercial services where possible.” 

McGrory said all bus drivers undergo “mandatory recruitment and screening checks”. 

“We want to reassure the parents of these children that we take incidents like this seriously. We will continue working closely with the operator to understand how this has happened and what steps can be taken to prevent a similar situation from happening again.” 

McGrory said “any employment or disciplinary matters remain confidential between the operator and their employee”. 

Ritchies did not respond when contacted by the Herald.