A LOCAL patient transport service will soon receive a new bus after former and current drivers expressed concern over the safety of the service’s current vehicle.
Australian Red Cross regional services manager David Walshaw said the organisation’s Riverland patient transport service, which transits locals to and from Adelaide for medical care, would receive a new bus shortly.
“Red Cross values the safety of all staff, volunteers and members, as well as everyone we assist,” he said.
“It is for this reason that we retired an older bus for transport services in the Riverland and have been using another vehicle while waiting for a new bus to be delivered.
“This new bus, with an electric step and a dedicated luggage rack, is expected to be delivered to the Riverland either this week or next.”
The delivery of the new bus comes after multiple drivers raised concerns about the safety of the temporary vehicle, introduced after the retirement of the old bus.
Ex-driver John Formby, of Loxton, told the Murray Pioneer the current bus lacked some of the safety features from the previous vehicle and that the people who were using the service “deserved better”.
“The previous buses had cages for walkers and cases and things like that,” he said.
“The bus that they have bought in over the last couple of months doesn’t have a cage, so they are just putting everything in the aisle and putting ‘occy’ straps on them, which is so dangerous.
“I hit a kangaroo one night coming into Loxton while I still had passengers on board and, had I not had a bull bar on, that bus would have been off the road for several weeks and they wouldn’t have had a vehicle.
“They had a meeting a few weeks ago, and one of the drivers told them they had a month to sort out the issues, or they would leave.”
Another ex-driver, who spoke to the Murray Pioneer on the condition of anonymity, said they left the service due to safety concerns.
“I said to Red Cross that I was not prepared to drive that bus while it is in the condition it is currently in, so I made the decision I would not drive for Red Cross again,” they said.
“You can’t expect people to drive a bus that doesn’t have a step and doesn’t have a dedicated luggage compartment.”
The former driver also expressed concerns with the Red Cross vacating its office on Kay Avenue, Berri last year, but Mr Walshaw said the organisation was looking for a new workspace in the region.
“During the pandemic, our staff in Berri began working from home and our lease on an office there expired,” he said.
“We are now seeking a new physical office.”
To contact the Red Cross’ Riverland patient transport service, call 1800 334 882.