There's a reason why the bus company has rules against what the bus driver did, it's the same reason why it's illegal to drive whilst you're on the phone. You're cutting down your own reaction time and that reaction time is vital as far as people's lives go, not necessarily the passengers, but other drivers and even pedestrians. I'm sure if it was just a case of eating on the job, it wouldn't be such a big deal. To the bus company, it obviously was a big deal and rightly so. The guy got himself fired by breaking company health and safety protocol. I'm sure you wouldn't be so concerned about the guy's ability to find work after getting the sack if he ran over a pedestrian because he couldn't steer in time, or didn't notice them quick enough because he's distracted. Yes, I would have thought it'd get a warning first, who knows, maybe he did and this was the second time he had been caught doing it.
The guy was a working man in a lousy job just trying to snatch a bite to eat. Now thanks to Huggy bear he's out of a job.
It's no excuse. My mum and sister are both care workers, they have to drive between each service user and work ridiculous hours and the time they're spent driving isn't counted as work hours, despite the fact travel time cuts into their breaks. So at times they don't get time to eat and they might be lucky to get a sandwich, but they never eating it when driving simply due to the fact it's dangerous. Lowering your reaction time increases risks. Heck, if they need to eat, they'll eat and if it means they're late, then they're late. It's the company's fault and not their's. I don't think the lack of breaks for the number of hours they working is even legal.
Yes, it's lousy work, if your hours are unreasonable, take it up with the employer (as my mum and sister are tempted to do), they can't sack you for having complaints. Heck, if said bus driver was overworked he could argue that tiredness kills. I am sure the US's laws aren't THAT backward.
There are a lot of really good people out of work right now, and this driver was replaced by someone who needed the work, and who, hopefully, will take the responsibility of transporting people in a vehicle more seriously.
This. Frank, presumably you wish for the replacement driver - who may also have a spouse and/or children to support - not to be able to find employment.
No jobs were gained or lost in this situation. One person lost a job, and another one gained it.
This is very true. Hey it's possible the old bus driver had no family and knows a guy running a pizza place and could get a job there, whilst this guy who replaced him could be supporting 3 kids and has been out of work for 3 months because nobody will take him and he's desperate for the money to support his family. The point is, we don't know the guy's situation. But he, himself, is responsible for his actions, yes, people make mistakes at work, but when it comes to health and safety it becomes more important to not make mistakes, even if in that incident nobody came to harm by it. I don't like the idea of ratting on people either, because I think everybody should be given a chance, but when you're concerned that there might be risks involved in the actions somebody is making (or not making) then ig you care then you suck in your gut and become a taddle tale.