Disney Bus Driver on paid leave after guest altercation

[truck1]

Found this on the Orlando Sentinel website.Apparently a guest didnt like an answer he received, and choked a driver.

 

[AlexDurrani]

Found this on the Orlando Sentinel website.Apparently a guest didnt like an answer he received, and choked a driver.

Sadly the one that is going to hurt in the end is going to be the driver. Unless there is some way that there is a video of the whole incident there will probably not be much evidence supporting any claim that this was unprovoked unless other guests come forward.

What ever happened to the happiest place on earth? Or does it not count after dark.

 

[Disneywedding2010]

There is another thread about this over in the Community Board. Apparently there was a plain clothed security officer on that bus.

 

[cjb-nc]

...

 

[nickyb720]

I also posted the story on the podcast page. I hope the driver doesn't get fired! Families with babies don't get priority. Handicapped guests get it first! The guy should of just waited instead of being a jerk about it!

 

[vicki_c]

Another guest @ the bus stop videotaped most of it.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmovTsW6gHY

 

[ILoveMyGirls]

what a mess. it is not fun to have to wait for another bus but "normal" people do not attack bus drivers.

 

[E-P-C-O-T]

Unbelievable, simply unbelievable I hope the driver does not get fired, he was just doing his job.

 

[Brian Noble]

Paid leave usually doesn't mean "going to be fired." Unpaid, on the other hand...

 

[goofy4tink]

Why would he be fired??? He didn't 'do' anything..just tried to defend himself. Here's the deal...
The guest and his wife and child were waiting for the bus to Epcot (probably left their car there, who knows). There was a large crowd for that particular bus. I don't know if this guy was just standing there, to the side or if he was in the actual line. BUT....the point came when the driver stopped him (and his family) from getting on the bus. It seems there was no more room. The guest was quite unhappy about this and it is reported that he 'threw' his child at the bus driver. The driver pointed down to the yellow line and said it wasn't safe for the guest to board the bus. The guest started shoving the driver and then went for the driver's throat/neck area. The driver shoved him back...people screamed. The guest yells 'We have a baby, we get priority'.

Evidently there is security tape footage of the whole thing...at least that is what has been reported.

Who was wrong? The guest, pure and simple. The driver did nothing wrong. He didn't attack the guest. He merely prevented him, or at least tried to prevent him, from boarding a too full bus. I'm not at all sure this guy was actually 'in' the line, or if he thought that because he had a 'baby' the driver would hold everyone else up and allow this guy and his family to board before everyone else...kind of like an ECV. What I didn't see or hear, were a lot of people yelling at the driver to 'let the guy on'...that is pretty telling, don't you think???
From all reports there was a plain clothes security person on the bus...who knew??....but who felt that the driver had it under control.

The thing that I find to be humerous was that there were plenty of guests getting off the bus rather than wait for it to continue on. I would have taken the boat or walked to Epcot rather than taken that bus.

 

[seashoreCM]

It would be wrong to dock let alone fire the bus driver without first winning a case against the driver. This would include analyzing a Youtube video (yes at least one exists) and having witnesses (other guests on the bus), possibly flown back from where they live when the trial is held.

Some of the other guests on the bus may have scattered so as not to be summoned to spend a vacation day testifying or to have to come back on such and such a date.

 

[truck1]

Paid or unpaid, the sad unfortunate fact, unless something has changed at Disney, and from everything Im hearing from friends that are still over ther,it hasnt, at least not for the good, is that the driver will most likely be terminated. Disney has a fairly strict no fight rule. Even if it is proven the driver defended himself, hell most likely be fired. I dont think its right, but it prob will hapen in a few days.

When I worked in bus ops, I knew of at least 2 drivers that were in similar situations, and both lost there jobs. 1 had his arm broken by an outside charter bus driver. Even though both drivers defended themselves,from unprovoked attacks, they were terminated under the no fight rule.

 

[disney david]

Paid or unpaid, the sad unfortunate fact, unless something has changed at Disney, and from everything Im hearing from friends that are still over ther,it hasnt, at least not for the good, is that the driver will most likely be terminated. Disney has a fairly strict no fight rule. Even if it is proven the driver defended himself, hell most likely be fired. I dont think its right, but it prob will hapen in a few days.

When I worked in bus ops, I knew of at least 2 drivers that were in similar situations, and both lost there jobs. 1 had his arm broken by an outside charter bus driver. Even though both drivers defended themselves,from unprovoked attacks, they were terminated under the no fight rule.

Thanks for the inside info so your saying disney wants the bus driver just stand their and get attacked so they keep their job.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

After watching the video and only the one video posted so far, it appears that although the driver did not attack the passenger and the passenger did attempt to grab the bus driver's neck, the bus driver also should have just stopped not moved the bus and asked for assistance once the passenger became combative whether it be verbally or physically.

I think there is too little information on this one video leading up to the incident, but when I see the bus driver push his body into the passenger, yes, that is a form of aggression, even if it is in self defense. In Disney's eyes I can see where the bus driver could have handled (again from just this limited bit of video) it a little differently.

Before watching the video when someone said he was acting in self defense I would interpret that as covering his head and eyes and attempting to flee the situation, that is not the same as what I interpret with the video.

Again, this is limited based on the one video and my personal opinion.

 

[Uncleromulus]

A "no fight " rule??
What does Disney expect a driver to do? Hop off the bus and run away? Lie down and get beaten???
Surely such a "rule" does not exist???

And yet another item to add to the list when I explain why we always rent a car at WDW

 

[DVC Grammy]

On another forum, it was reported that besides the amateur video, the entire incident was recorded on a hi-def security camera and law enforcement not only arrested the tourist for assault, but also for a "terrorist threat" (public place, etc.). Disney purportedly ejected him and his family from the hotel in which they were staying, and they have been banned for life from WDW (I'm not sure if DL was included in the banning )
The driver was NOT penalized.

 

[SunnyP4Disney]

Paid or unpaid, the sad unfortunate fact, unless something has changed at Disney, and from everything Im hearing from friends that are still over ther,it hasnt, at least not for the good, is that the driver will most likely be terminated. Disney has a fairly strict no fight rule. Even if it is proven the driver defended himself, hell most likely be fired. I dont think its right, but it prob will hapen in a few days.

When I worked in bus ops, I knew of at least 2 drivers that were in similar situations, and both lost there jobs. 1 had his arm broken by an outside charter bus driver. Even though both drivers defended themselves,from unprovoked attacks, they were terminated under the no fight rule.

I worked as the security assistant admin for a very large public transit system in FL and if the union for the Disney bus drivers is anything like the one we had, the bus driver does not need to worry about losing his job. We had all out brawls and as long as the driver was continuing to defend himself )fight off the attack) the driver was not terminated. The union will fight tooth and nail for its members...

 

[disney david]

I worked as the security assistant admin for a very large public transit system in FL and if the union for the Disney bus drivers is anything like the one we had, the bus driver does not need to worry about losing his job. We had all out brawls and as long as the driver was continuing to defend himself )fight off the attack) the driver was not terminated. The union will fight tooth and nail for its members...

The union already requested the video so the can defend the driver so let hope that he back on the job very soon.

 

[truck1]

A "no fight " rule??
What does Disney expect a driver to do? Hop off the bus and run away? Lie down and get beaten???
Surely such a "rule" does not exist???

And yet another item to add to the list when I explain why we always rent a car at WDW

At the time it doesnt matter if the guest started the issue or not, or if the driver sat there, or came back swinging. It comes down to being involved. Im not saying its right in any way shape or form, just going by past precedent.

I worked as the security assistant admin for a very large public transit system in FL and if the union for the Disney bus drivers is anything like the one we had, the bus driver does not need to worry about losing his job. We had all out brawls and as long as the driver was continuing to defend himself )fight off the attack) the driver was not terminated. The union will fight tooth and nail for its members...

If the driver is in the union theyll fight, (theyll fight if hes not, but itll take longer) and what Disney does next.

I know for a fact that one of the drivers that was termed for a fight on property, no longer lives in Fl, and never got his job back.

 

[truck1]

On another forum, it was reported that besides the amateur video, the entire incident was recorded on a hi-def security camera and law enforcement not only arrested the tourist for assault, but also for a "terrorist threat" (public place, etc.). Disney purportedly ejected him and his family from the hotel in which they were staying, and they have been banned for life from WDW (I'm not sure if DL was included in the banning )
The driver was NOT penalized.

I saw that also after I posted the comment. Im only going on past precedent. Any number of things could happen. It could go away quietly, management could have talked to the driver after his shift, and after he was seen by the other driver, and suspended him then,or they could wait for him to come in for his next shift. I honestly dont know.(Im at Port Canaveral waiting on tom to board the Magic) I wish the driver the best, and hope it works out for him.

If the union is asking for the tapes to defend, then he prob in all likelynes is suspended.Other wise, theyd have no reason to ask for the tape.