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Three MBTA bus drivers face firing for cell-phone use
By adamg on Fri, 03/26/2010 - 8:04am
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Comments
why fire for this?
If the buses were really "the buses were between trips and not carrying passengers", I don't see how their drivers using cellphones hurts or endangers anyone. Unless the phone calls are distracting the drivers from starting their next runs on time.
Unless...
They were driving around the block to set up for the next run, or heading to or from the bus depot. If they were driving and talking, the anti-cell phone while driving people could argue that they were endangering other vehicles. Regardless, if it is T policy not to allow employees to carry or use cell phones, they broke policy.
This seems absurd--to fire
This seems absurd--to fire them if they really were between runs. Rules are not simply there to be enforced--they are there to do a service and in this case the rules were not doing anything useful.
Whit
What I'd Much Rather See
Several dozen drivers canned for SMOKING on their buses between runs.
This used to happen to buses leaving Sullivan Station every time it rained or snowed or got cold. I would get on the bus and it would be absolutely full of cigarette smoke. Being smokers, the driver probably thought nobody would notice. I would email the T with bus numbers, run numbers, and details at least twice a week in the winter about this, and never got any reply.
because...
I don't like it, but the rule was written that possession of a cell phone during working hours will get you fired. The issue came up last year when they made the rule about break times, etc, but GM-DG didn't care - if you have a phone you would be tempted to use it. So even if they had the phones off in their pocket, it is a fire-able offense.
bus drivers fired for cell phones
Hey those fired city bus drivers should moved to Florida in this state we do not have any cell phone laws or texting while you drive you can even drive with no working head lights or working brake lights and where I work you can be on the phone when you drive the city bus as long you are hands free so please come to Florida for the springtime.