Outraged by school bus drivers

| 15/10/2018

Ask Auntie, CNS Local Life, Caymanian statusWho is in charge of the school buses? The way many of them are driven is appalling! One turned so sharply into my street that there was barely an inch between the bus and the front right corner of my car …and as for stopping IN roundabouts or speeding! Children are probably learning from these drivers too. How can we complain about specific incidents? Are these complaints ever taken seriously? Are there measures afoot to improve performance?


Auntie’s answer: The office you are looking for is the Department of Education Services (DES), specifically the Business Services Unit under that department. Mark Ray, the head of that unit, explained that most of school bus transportation services is outsourced, with some schools using government-trained drivers. However, the DES manages all school bus transportation services.

Complaints about bus drivers can be sent to this department (see contact information below), and, importantly for your questions, Mr Ray said, “We take the complaints very seriously and they are communicated to the specific bus contractor, or, if they are general matters, communicated to all.  We are constantly in contact with bus contractors and partner with them on training and opportunities for bus staff.”

To report a specific incident, call (244-1839) or email Mark Ray, or call (244-1840) or email Jenny Rivers

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Category: Ask Auntie, Education Questions, Traffic Questions

Comments (11)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    It is frightening to read these comments, or about barking dogs, because this country seem to be lawless.

  2. Anonymous says:

    I will not put my child on a school bus period! These drivers believe they can stop absolutely anywhere (including roundabouts, blind corners etc.) and at any angle in the road. These buses are used for other purposes other than transporting children and they still use their magic red lights to let off passengers!

  3. Anonymous says:

    Send you complaints to DEH dumpster in the back of their office. Save them the trouble of delivering it there for you.

  4. Anonymous says:

    I dare Mark Ray or Jennie Rivers to go to the junction of Aspiration Drive and Fairbanks Road around 3pm any week-day and report the number of buses filled with school kids that do not even slow down, much less STOP at the 3-way stop signs.

    Note that this has also been brought to the attention of Traffic Officers on many occasions without any action being taken.

  5. Beach Cleaner says:

    Good question! I was overtaken by a school bus in the 30mph school zone in Savannah the other day … I was going 35mph. He then happily sped off toward town well over the 40mph limit. Shocking!

  6. Anonymous says:

    The reason the people on this island have poor driving skills is because they’ve all learned from their parents poor driving skills. Driving lessons are not cheap. They should have a driving course in schools, even if there is a small charge.
    In the states, if you take a driving course your insurance rates are significantly lower. So for teens, this can be substantial.
    The driving course at my school was a summer elective. It was fun and interesting and well worth the time spent. (The instructor was the football coach)
    Learning how and when to use your indicator, how to use a roundabout and a 4-way stop would significantly reduce traffic jams and speed up rush hour traffic.

    • Anonymous says:

      The vehicles here have indicators???

      I don’t like, but can understand your garden variety of idiot not indicating, but the ‘professional’ drivers here are terrible. Taxis, buses, school buses, police cars etc are usually appallingly driven. If all, or part of your job is driving, then how about actually doing it well?

      • Anonymous says:

        I have seen taxi drivers use their indicators on many occasions. For anyone seeing this rare spectacle for the first time be warned that it really means “I am resuming right-of-way over all other drivers on the road”.

        It is most commonly, although no frequently, used when they have stopped to pick up or drop off a passenger. Please note that use of the left or right indicator is a personal preference and is meant as a warning for you to give way, and has nothing to do with whether their intentions is to pull on or off the road.

    • Tom says:

      4 way stop need to be remove as it cause traffic jam. It is stupid to have 4 way stop.

      • Anonymous says:

        Only if you do not know how to use them…
        Please note that a roundabout is NOT a 4-way stop!!