School bus driver banned
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A CUMINESTOWN man convicted of driving a school bus while using a hand-held mobile phone has had his bus driver’s licence suspended for eight weeks by the Traffic Commissioner for Scotland, Joan Aitken.
She called Greig Elrick to a driver conduct hearing following his conviction at Aberdeen Sheriff Court last month when he was fined £500 and had three penalty points imposed on his licence.
The suspension took effect from Friday.
The Traffic Commissioner heard that Mr Elrick was driving schoolchildren home from Old Meldrum Academy when he was phoned by his employer’s depot manager who wanted the vehicle back at Fraserburgh after the school run.
Mr Elrick answered his phone and held it in his hand while driving. Mr Elrick also has a speeding conviction for driving his employer’s van at 73mph in a 60mph limit.
Mr Elrick was very apologetic for his actions in taking the phone call and assured the Traffic Commissioner it would never happen again.
Ms Aitken took the decision to suspend Mr Elrick’s bus driver licence but to limit it to eight weeks, stating that she was taking into account of Mr Elrick’s previous good conduct and long years as a bus and coach driver. Mr Elrick also appeared to recognise the seriousness of his action in using a mobile phone while driving schoolchildren.
Mr Elrick is an employee of Kineil Coaches Ltd of Fraserburgh, and Ms Aitken said she will seek an explanation from the company as to why one of its drivers was phoned on a school run.
Ms Aitken added: "Bus and coach drivers stand to lose their livelihood if they transgress the mobile phone laws and take or make calls when in control of a bus or coach, whether carrying passengers or not."
