Furious father blasts CDC bus company after Rockhampton schoolgirl left behind

A Central Qld family has been left fuming after their child was left behind in the rain as she waited for a bus to her school 40km away.

Daniel Watson and his daughter Annaliese Watson at the Brown and Hill Street corner in Emu Park where a CDC bus left her behind on Friday November 14.

An Emu Park family has been left fuming after their child was left behind in the rain as she waited for a bus to her school 40km away.

Annaliese Watson, 14, was waiting for her pick-up at the corner of Hill and Brown streets to get to Glenmore State High School on November 14, when the 442 school bus drove past and ignored her and another student.

The operator of the bus service, CDC, said the driver did not pick them up because they did not see anyone on the corner and although the driver saw a car parked, they did not see any no movement inside the vehicle where Annaliese was taking cover with her mother, Dianne, from the rain.

“No one attempted to wave him down or exit the car to indicate that students were waiting to board,” according to CDC.

The corner has traditionally been used as an undesignated hail and ride stop by Emu Park-based students.

“I was a little bit shocked,” Annaliese said.

This confusion was compounded further by Annaliese not being able to be dropped off in her regular spot after she took the 45 minute ride home from Rockhampton to Emu Park.

“That afternoon coming home when I pressed the button to get off at the corner of Brown and Hill St the bus driver just kept going,” she said.

When she told the bus driver, the driver told her that he couldn’t stop there.

The Emu Park corner where the CDC bus picks up and used to drop off.

According to Annaliese’s dad, Daniel Watson, the family had received no warning over any change to the bus route.

“We’ve tried calling them multiple times, sent multiple emails, have yet to hear a response,” Mr Watson said.

“We’ve spoken to other parents who’ve had similar problems. None of them have heard back from CDC either.”

However, after this publication made enquiries, Mr Watson said CDC got into contact with him.

“The response from them was pretty appalling,” he said.

“They apparently had sent notices to registered bus users through the schooling system.”

The Education Department stated Glenmore State High School did not receive information about charges regarding route 442.

The notice informed bus users that due to safety concerns the Hill/Brown St corner drop-off point had changed and the buses will only drop off students at the official hail and ride bus stop located roughly 500m further down Hill St.

There has been no change to the pick-up location and the changes were to be effective from Monday, November 17 after recent safety assessments determined that several stops in the area were unsafe.

A CDC spokesman said that leaflets were also distributed by drivers from November 7.

The gravel area where the bus used to stop to pick up roughly two to six school students each school day.

The Emu Park father said the situation has disgusted him, citing policies implemented by some organisations that no student could be left behind following Daniel Morcombe’s tragic death.

In a statement the Daniel Morcombe foundation while the “No Child Left Behind” principle is not a law, it serves as an important safety measure adopted by many bus companies.

“We encourage all bus operators to review their policies regularly to help protect children and prevent tragic incidents,” the statement said.

A CDC spokesman apologised for the inconvenience caused to the Watsons and others who missed the morning bus.

Originally published as Furious father blasts CDC bus company after Rockhampton schoolgirl left behind