TransLink investigation launched into major Gympie bus line

A Gympie mother has reached out to several organisations and political figures after concerns were raised about the safety of school-aged children getting connecting buses to and from school.

A Polleys Bus at James Nash State High School waiting to pick up students.

Tammy Brennan’s 13-year-old daughter has been left by the side of the road five times in 2021, and now the concerned mother is taking affirmative action.

Every day her daughter catches a Polleys bus to the interchange at a local high school before boarding a second connecting bus to take her home safely to her family.

But on more than one occasion, she has been left alone at the interchange because the interconnecting bus has already left before the first school bus was scheduled to arrive.

“It should not be the responsibility of the local community, or the adjoining school to pick up this slack,” she said.

She took to a Facebook community page to voice her concerns – and she wasn’t alone.

Mother of three Michelle Littlehales relies on Polleys buses to take her two daughters to and from school, but an inconsistent schedule means they can miss entire days of school.

“At least six times … a month [the bus] is early,” she said.

“Numerous times they are late, which makes them late for their connecting bus.

“That bus doesn’t wait, and the girls are stranded at James Nash.”

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Tammy reached out to several people and organisations, including the Daniel Morcombe Foundation and Gympie councillor and managing director for Polleys Buses, Warren Polley.

Mr Polley said in the latest incident, only two students were left behind after the connecting bus departed early.

“Be assured that no child was left on the side of the road,” he said.

A Polleys Bus waiting outside James Nash State High School to pick up students.

“The connecting bus had departed due to the first bus being 20 minutes late and the two students involved were escorted by the driver to a waiting bus which took them to their relevant school after completing its route.”

A TransLink spokesperson said an investigation had been launched into the incident with Polleys.

“We will work with the bus company and passenger to ensure we can reach the safest and most effective outcome for this student to get to school utilising the available connecting services,” they said.

“An outcome already prioritised by Polleys is further guidance to bus drivers on the use of GPS fleet tracking technology which will help ensure bus connections are not missed.”

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