School Bus

Everyday, we'd question Renee if she's had her seat belt fastened whenever she's on board the school bus/van and yesterday, she told us that the seat belt wasn't working, since day 1, alamak!

The other thing is, remember in my earlier post I've mentioned that the school bus driver had told Papa that it'd be around that timing, which is 6:40am+, that the bus would arrive?  This morning, when Papa brought Renee down at 6:38am(around there, cos they left home at 6:35am), the school bus had already left!  Aiyoh!

With this info, I was reminded and called up the bus operating company and told them about this, and also to talk to them about the seat belt thingy.  For the timing, they told us to stick to 6:30am as things aren't exactly firm yet since it's the 1st week and as for the seat belt, they said that they will check and ensure that, if any faulty seat belt(s), will be fixed by next week.  As a parent, I'm definitely not happy to hear this, 'cos afterall, they have the whole school holidays to check their buses properly before the school re-opens right?(mind that we parents still have to pay them for the non-service rendered during all the holidays)

Then today, after we've picked up our new maid, I brought her down at the stipulated timing to wait for Renee and when the van finally arrived, Renee alighted at the opposite direction and when I called out to her to watch out for cars 1st, she's already running across!!!  Oh My Gosh!  U bet I sure did give her a good scolding.  Papa told me later that the bus normally stops right outside our premise - he has to make a U-turn to alight the other child from next building too, hmmm...

Anyway, the back of her uniform was soaked wet, I asked her why.  At first she told me that there's no air-condition and the children were all making noise, requesting for the air-con to be switched on.  Then I asked, if the seat belt is working today, she said yes but some of them were standing, even herself! Her comment was : "overcrowded".  Hearing this, I'm really upset.  It's illegal to overload a school bus and thus, I called up the school bus operator again and he told me that it's impossible and he has the list onhand, not overloaded.  So I queried him "in this case, why is my child made to stand?  in fact, some of the other children were standing, not just my kid and this is very dangerous".  He replied that perhaps some kids might have 'choped' the seats with their bags or they took up 2 seats.  I asked Renee and she said yes.  Hey, this is simply unacceptable!   First of all, we're now talking about the 'returning from school' trip, which means that the bus driver has ample time, not forgetting, a duty, to ensure that all kids are properly seated and belted up before he begins the journey, isn't it?  2ndly, even if it's the 'going' trip, with no 'aunty' onboard the bus, the driver SHOULD come down and ensure that the kid is properly seated/belted up 1st before he moves off!  This is absurb!  I'm sure to follow up on this.

Another thing, it seems like there're more older kids onboard the bus now and I was told that, being older, these kids can walk/get to the bus faster and they would all take up the centre seats, leaving the younger ones the back seats.  On man, don't tell me what I feared from what I've heard is coming true?  Oh no...  But so far, no actual bullying yet(an older girl even helped Renee closed her toy umbrella), I hope NOT!