(Image: Roland Tanglao)
Last Friday, passengers on a TTC bus called the police to complain that the woman behind the wheel was driving erratically. Turns out, there was a perfectly logical explanation: she’d been drinking. After a breathalyzer was administered on Dawes Road near Danforth Avenue, the TTC employee’s licence was suspended for 72 hours. Because the driver wasn’t illegal-drunk—she was just shouldn’t-be-operating-heavy-machinery drunk—criminal charges will not be laid. Instead, an internal investigation will proceed.
We remind TTC drivers that friends don’t let friends endanger the lives of numerous people who are already critical of the TTC. Bus driving—unlike, say, blogging—is not a job that can be performed proficiently while tipsy.
• TTC driver pulled over, licence suspended [Toronto Star]
This does not surprise me one bit. This is flat out irresponsible and extremely dangerous. A streetcar is one thing but to be driving a bus that the driver is in FULL control that is a different story. What the hell is an internal investigation going to do?? Kick this idiot to the curb and charge her–if she wants to endanger her life that is fine but do not bring other civilians into it.
March 16, 2010 at 12:40 pm | by The_FlashThis is just ONE example of the lack of courtesy and customer service provided by TTC drivers to riders. It’s an extreme case of lack of courtesy and care; I’ve always remained firm in my opinion that (some) TTC drivers do not care about the comfort or safety of their customers-they are disgruntled and take it out on us. Here is a clear example of that.
March 16, 2010 at 1:20 pm | by Durand Jarrett-AmorAgreed City is not taking this seriously, kick her out! and charge her. Any other person caught DUI would be charged! This person is driving our buses! seriously!
March 18, 2010 at 9:07 am | by ShawnThe TTC culture is one of entitlement with little regard for the anyone other than themslves. Sadly, this is no surprise to anyone in the GTA and truly is one example of thousands of other incidents that have never been reported or ignored when the complaint is made.
March 19, 2010 at 3:22 pm | by AndrewI personally watched a driver smoke a joint prior to hopping on a streetcar last year only to watch in disbelief that he was taking over the route for the departing driver.
I asked him to simply drive carefully and take his sunglasses off. It was dark outside.
When I called to complain they said I had know way of proving it the day after and said they felt no need to follow up.