In a startling incident, a driver was reportedly caught doing several things on his phone while navigating a bus full of passengers from an Australian airport.

The incident, caught by a vigilant flyer, has sparked an immediate reaction from the transportation company and a broader conversation on road safety.

Warren Smith, a fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) worker, was returning to the Sunshine Coast from Brisbane Airport when he noticed the driver's risky behaviour and decided to film it.

Smith, accustomed to the stringent safety protocols of his high-risk profession, was disturbed by what he saw, describing the driver's actions on the busy Gateway Motorway as 'reckless’.

FIFO worker Warren Smith noticed the driver’s behaviour inside the bus. Credit: Shutterstock

‘So I thought I’d just take a little recording, and as I was recording there, he was doing a bank transfer, then he went into his messages while driving a full bus,’ he said.

‘A bit later on, he changed lanes, cut a car off, and they were honking at him, so he was just a bit of a reckless driver and wasn’t paying attention.’

Smith acknowledged that drivers may need to use phones during their shift, but the driver’s behaviour in this instance was ‘ridiculous’.

‘We use helicopters, a lot of dangerous equipment, and the most dangerous part of my month away at work was the drive from the Brisbane Airport back to the Sunshine Coast,’ he said.

Con-X-ion shuttle bus company, the employer of the driver, offered Smith a refund and apology.

However, Smith said he will opt for other modes of transport in the future.

Con-X-ion initiated an urgent investigation and quickly suspended the individual involved.

Paul Stratton, the company's director, expressed deep disappointment, and the driver had been immediately suspended after an inquiry into the matter.

Warren Smith filmed the driver doing several things on his phone while driving. Credit: Courier Mail

‘There was initial confusion as to which driver was involved in this incident as a third-party contracted driver also provided one portion of the transfer for this client,’ Stratton said.

‘After further investigation, we have identified that the driver in question was a driver working for Con-X-ion. Con-X-ion does not tolerate any of our drivers driving in an unsafe or distracted manner, and we are extremely disappointed with the action of the driver on this occasion.’

The company will carry out its ‘disciplinary process’ following the driver’s immediate suspension.

Driving is a responsibility that comes with a set of rules and regulations to ensure the safety of all road users. However, some of these rules spark a heated debate about their interpretation.

In a previous story, one driver was slapped with a $1,000 fine for their act. What was this controversial act? You can read more about it here.

Key Takeaways

• A FIFO worker captured a bus driver allegedly engaging in reckless behaviour, such as making a bank transfer and reading messages, while transporting passengers from Brisbane Airport.
• The worker, Warren Smith, filmed the incident highlighting the driver's inattention and unsafe driving, including changing lanes and cutting off a car.
• Smith was offered an apology and a refund from the Con-X-ion shuttle bus company following the incident.
• The driver in question was immediately suspended, and Con-X-ion is conducting a disciplinary process due to the serious nature of the unsafe driving complaint.

Have you ever experienced something similar on your travels? Let us know in the comments below.

 

[lornafurst]

This driver should be held responsible for his actions. My sister was killed by a bus driver. Whom we later found to had been suffering STDD 10 years later. He should NEVER Have been employed by the Sunshine Coast bus company. She had a 17 year old son who was left without his
mother.