Thursday, February 28, 2013

Transport Officer Claims First Time On Time!

 A transport officer I have spoken to today, drives buses, was earlier then expended in Mount Druitt Bus Interchange. When told of this he advised  the driver was driving for years and first time he has done that.  The bus driver claims most arrives a little late.

Fantastic, this increases this increases the on time running that the bus operator is maintaining. The bus driver seemed more shocked and surprised and we both agreed that when the ETS ( Electronic Ticketing System) is introduced in the area. Although the bus driver is wondering how it will effect pensioners,  how will they deal with the changes.

 As long as group like ours inform the commuter, transport for NSW, Busways and Westbus website sites then a majority of community will eventually be prepared for these changes.

Yet it is amazing that the bus driver came up with the phrase, to have Pre-Pay buses - you need to have 'Cashless buses'!



How To Read New Tickets - Busways

On  behalf of the Mount Druitt Community and Commuter Improvement Group Inc,  I would like to thank Mr. Andrew Glass, Busways Group Services Development Manager, has offer to place this notification of Busways will be advising all commuters to read their tickets.

Not everyone has  an interest in reading these tickets and these tickets can be  proven as what times buses are arriving at bus stops.


Click here for How to read your New printed Bus Ticket!

Click Here for our previous blog and request for an understanding on tickets

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Plumpton Commuter Seeks More Frequent Faster Trains!

A  hard working lady from Plumpton, that was relaxing on the train was quite to speak to me about her improvement she would like to see, making her travelling quality of life better.

She gets dropped by car to Rooty Hill or Mount Druitt train station and  travels by City Rail by train to Central and return.

Like every commuter what she wants is simply faster trains from the city to Mount Druitt, as she has found thorough the last couple of years, her travelling time is increasing which reduces her quality of life time.

From 3.30pm-5pm during the week days she would like to see  more trains leave Redfern, first stop 'Parramatta. Blacktown and then Mount Druitt'. She is wondering why we are going backwards instead of going forward. Currently trains she catches are now  after Redfern station, 'Strathfield, Auburn, Clyde, Granville, Harris Park and then Parramatta' this adds a lot of time on journeys.



Hot or Cold, How Would You Like It?

Yeh, I know what sort of title of a blog is that. No it doesn't real to weather, or body temperature! It relates to having hot food on the trains, even becoming cold. Normally food is not to be eaten on the train but can food be carted on trains, I would say, 'Yes' as long as you don't eat on the trains.

So here is someone who has bought pizzas and  carried them on the train to take home with them - not too sure how many trains stations the commuter had to wait to get of the train. Maybe the pizza's were cold!




Q & A - Shalvey & Bidwill Buses - Richard Amery

We have just received from Richard Amery,Member for the State Seat Mount Druitt, a copy of Questions and Answers from NSW State Government he has asked and got answers for  on the 18th December 2012:


Click Here Q & A 18/12/2013 - NSW Parliament Document

NB: We thank Richard Amery for providing his feedback and what he is doing as the Member of Mount Druitt!

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Launch Of Proposed Mount Druitt Community And Commuters Improve Group Inc Free Shuttle Bus Petition!

People power without a petition is great but people power with a petition gives true life meaning.

What does this mean? It means that we as a public transport advocacy group representing the people of Mount Druitt have successfully  lobbied and received approval from Blacktown City Council  for a free shuttle bus travelling around the hub of Mount Druitt and recommendation has been referred to the NSW for Transport for same.

So our next step is to engage the community in signing a petition to show the Government of the Day we mean business or we  are meant to have good things  to happen in the area especially a  shuttle bus that will connect a lot of people around the hub of Mount Druitt. Something to be proud of and for.

We have the patience  to wait  for this to happen - I feel it will happen - if not today or tomorrow, when the NSW Government of the day realise that we are not playing around with them.

Again, we thank Blake Bardowksi who has  created the original shuttle bus route and I would like to  the people of Mount Druitt that I have made connections with in the past to work on getting this shuttle bus fully funded and going! The  people of Mount Druitt deserve to be proud of good things that happen in the area (which are  few and little and far  when it happens)

Here is the Mount Druitt Free Shuttle Bus Petition you can download and return to us (once completed)

Monday, February 25, 2013

Politicians Needs for More Action To Improve 'City Rail' or Become 'Nato's'!

A very inspirational lady is a world of knowledge with trains and comparing  the whole world to the standards we have with City Rail. It appears we are far behind in the western world and in further behind in the Asian Cities that  that rail infrastructure and services.

Nenet from Blacktown that  in its current conditional state and  facilities like seats on trains are not comfortable, air conditioning is very hot in summer  and very cold in winter. Carriages are very dirty and she herself doesn't feel safe because of this.

 NSW Government should be looking at providing huge amounts of funding allocation to overhaul the City Rail infrastructure and schedules of services to catch up with the Western world, where trains are frequent, clean and comfortable for each and every commuter. Although our City Rail to her her is ranked the worst in the world, she does understand the difficulty is changing railway lines and improvements in them.

She claims every politician promises to make all overhauled changes in public transport, yet money constraints could be preventing improvements. There should be considerable amount of funds allocated tom improve public transport to make it Number 1. Priority on this improves the liveability of commuters, especially to work and having a better quality of life.

When something happens on one line - like signal failures - this has a ripple effect on all City Rail lines and also to her if she has to pick up her child from a child centre at a certain time and won't be there in time!

Finally the NSW needs to engage commuters and communicate  as it models a better City Rail  improved future.

Nenet advises there are two types of politicians  'Nato Party - (No Action Talk Only) and the other is the opposite.

She believes the Nato politician's  talk too much and  do no action!

How To Fix Trains - Survey By NRMA - MX Newpper


MX News paper is asking you to complete a survey via NRMA where you can win 1 of 3 Ipad mins or NRMA online Shop Voucher, on ideas to fix the  Rail Network.

What is interesting here is the NRMA is a Group which has interest in Roads and Motorists - not normally City Rail






Time Table 674 Must Have Time Table For The West End Of Whalan - MDCIG Group Members!

With the increased patronage ( as advised by our Group members), on the extended Westbus 674, the issue is that commuters that want to catch the 674 are not aware of what time the time table is for every stop. Although to produce a correct time table  every bus top with numbers should be included in the hard copy time tables but only summarised version of  each route is printed. 

So we will be asking Westbus to review their time tables, which currently is as per Link (and copied below) to see if they can add at least a bus top from somewhere in-between Gasmatta, Moresby and Samarai Roads, to satisfy commuters in West Whalan.

Example of  time table for  Westbus


Saturday
mapref       Route Number                             674 674 
                                                                         am   pm

A        Windsor Mall (Kable St)                        8.22 3.54
B        Windsor Interchange (George St)           8.26 3.58
C        George St & Drummond St                    8.30 4.02
D        Rifle Range Rd & Mileham St                8.34 4.06
K        John Morony Correctional Complex      8.40 4.12
E        Richmond Rd & Llandilo Rd                  8.48 4.20
L        Palmyra Av & Stony Creek Rd              8.57 4.29
M      Hatherton Rd & Rymill Rd                      9.01 4.33
N       Luxford Rd & Aurora Dr                        9.04 4.36
O       Mount Druitt Interchange                        9.14 4.46


These are section points of route 674:


Section  Point Legend
00           Kable St, Windsor
01           Windsor Interchange
02           George & Drummond Sts
03           Rifle Range & Sirius Rds
04           George St & Richmond Rd
05           1.6km East of George St
06           Richmond Rd & St Marys Rd
07           St Marys Rd & Government Rd
08           St Marys Rd & Sirius Pl
09           Shane Park Rd
10           Palmyra Ave & Shanes Park Rd
11           Palmyra Ave & Captain Cook Dr
12           Hatherton Rd
13           Luxford Rd & Popondetta Rd
14           Luxford Rd & Belmore Ave
15          Mount Druitt Interchange

By this you can see that maybe the time tables could be based on sectioned bus stop, which can present a better spread of understanding time tables when they are published and issued to the public.



Sunday, February 24, 2013

Some Community Members Maybe Blind To What We Are Doing

One community member has mentioned to one of our Committee Members that our group is only looking after our individual bus services - we are not concerned of other bus services. 
A comment like this doesn't concern me as this is a normal reaction of a community member who may not  have the time to commit to our  cause as yet. Come the day that persons bus services is affect - they will be the first knocking on our door and possibly retract was was said before to our community member.

I will agree partly with  was is being said  by this community member, in that we all have our personal service that we are lobbying for, secondly we do want to support other areas and we do support other areas as we all agree it is a  the total area we are looking for changes to improve our bus services.

Maybe this community member doesn't read our blogs and local stories in local papers, is one of these people that likes to criticise without checking the facts. I would suggest to this community member to come and see what we are doing as head and eyes are looking at us a prominent group and vital group to advocate for public transport.

When we we were called as a group, 'Save our Bus Services Mount Druitt and Surrounding Suburbs', to some people and government members we were a 'Thorn' at their side. Really they  placed the 'thorn' on their side by allowing bus reviews to go through not having input to prevent the loss of bus services in community that they thought would not raise their voice. The thoughts could have been, ' Mount Druitt is easy, they won't complain - they have safe seat members of NSW Parliament' .

The last State Election proved to be  a seat in a major part of Mount Druitt Swinging their votes to reach an end result in Mount of 50/50 for the major parties.

As a community group we do not focus on one area, we focus on all areas for improvement of public transport within Mount Druitt and that still remains.


Saturday, February 23, 2013

Educating The Community - Our Group!

Today was a great day for Mount Druitt Commuters Improvement Group Inc.  It was one of my proudest days of chairing a meeting, our attendance numbers were up  substantially, one new member accepted and  another new community member's first day with our group.

The Good news, new member is from the South Mount Druitt/Rooty Hill area and the new community member is from Emerton.

Our Meeting was fruit-fall and created a lot of  professional conversation amongst our members, covering local issues. I totally loved it and the people that came - they make it for Mount Druitt.

Even as a leader of a group if I don't learn something, that is not good - I learnt a few things and one of them hit me at the very last minute of the meeting when the new community members first meeting said she learnt a lot and found it educational.

That's it! In  lots of way we are an educational group for the local representatives who learn thing from each other go home and speak to others and get  the 'Good' word across. I want people to talk about public transport as if it isn't a secondary type of transport for them that it is a form of transport they rely on and have great access to services and connections to get to the end destinations each day.

Subconsciously, I never knew that we can be a group that teaches the community of 'Public transport' within our local area. We are not 'Paid' teachers yet  we  seem to be touching people every day as we promote what we are doing.

I say, 'LET'S KEEP ON EDUCATING - LET'S BRING MORE PEOPLE TO OUR MEETINGS!'

Commuters Running Away From Smell on Trains - Doonside Commuter

Marilou from Doonside a lady that had rushed on the Parramatta train, as if she was trialling for the Olympics, travels by City Rail from Doonside to Wynyard and allowing 3 minutes to reach her bus  for transfers to Mosman for work.

She has told myself, she is so pleased that the trains run to timetable and are exactly on time. The main issue she has is getting on a train with her friends and gets a 'Stinky Poo' smell from the top carriage - which is rather embarrassing to discuss she claims. That's why her and her friends sit down on the bottom of the carriage.

She hopes that the person that has the unhygienic smell, created by not cleaning their bodies in the right parts well, has read this story and changes their act entirely or NSW for Transport look at  promoting hygiene on public transport as a way of improving the health of commuters whilst travelling on public transport, by way of community adds and also to televise on all other forms of media.

University Student from Mount Druitt Requires More Updated Train Carriages!

A young Sydney University student from Mount Druitt used to catch the Busways 754 to Mount Druitt and then from Mount Druitt Train Station City Rail train to Redfern and then changes for Newtown train station. Now he just catches the train as described.

H e on the Western Line,  he seems to get the trains that don't have air-conditioning. Yet he believes that South West services and other train line services seem to have the air-conditioning! It appears we don't get the air-conditioned trains due to trains being vandalised a lot. This could be a good reason why we don't get updated air-conditioned trains. Yet on the flip side of the coin, thinking of himself as a primary commuter and then other, on the Western Line  , the NSW government  do have to consider costs involved in providing updated train carriages.

 Although he also would like to see a  train service to Newtown, rather than change train stations, he does also understanding it depends on the amount of commuters that patronise that service. If it is only a  minority, he understands why this cannot happen.


Friday, February 22, 2013

Mount Druitt Bus Driver Is Happy To Take Money From Commuters - Even When ETS arrives!

What is ETS you ask?  ETS is simply Electronic Ticketing system, which I am pretty sure is self explanatory.

Drivers love talking to me. Have I got that face to talk or is my charm  that will never mean harm? Sometimes they talk to me about public transport and provide their opinions and/or suggestions and pardon the pun, 'I  take it on board' myself and mostly publish them on our blog. Now some of them do not know that I am a public transport advocate until I leave the bus and them our little slip with our details on it! Their faces are amazed and then  I get the  beautiful word, 'Thank you' or even 'Thank you very much'!

Did I fool them. No it is so good to make conversation with bus driver and wait for their reaction! During the day they may face abuse from the public or even little thanks!

Any way the bus driver that I spoke to tonight was really excited to talk about the ETS that will be introduced on buses in 2015.  Although providing tickets, receiving cash and proving cash change it a secondary part of the job of a bus driver, as time goes by 'Cashless buses' will be everywhere in and around Mount Druitt. He is still happy  to accept money to pay fares when the ETS will be introduced

This will hard for the community to accept in the beginning, especially when they are not used to purchasing their tickets in their local shops. The bus driver said he thinks there will have to be allowances made, when the ETS is installing in 18 months or so within Mount Druitt and other areas. 

The biggest problem will be someone who not aware of the ETS system and a commuter catches a late bus, no ETS Opal Card, no shops open that night near the Mount Druitt Bus Interchange. You can't sent the potential commuter to a shop that sells the ETS Opal card, then misses the bus & waits for next one or that could be the last bus. 

Another situation is a visitor from overseas who has limited knowledge of English and our public transport system. I think bus drivers must be given the provision to sell ETS Opal Card or accept cash for single tickets and  provide a brochure on how and where to  get these cards locally.

There's one thing the bus driver and myself agree on was that the ETS will be introduced to trains first and by then a majority of commuters will be used to the ETS Opal Card by then, before using them on buses.


What Slows Down/Stops City Rail Trains - Light Signals!

Sometimes we wonder what delays our trains. We assume it could be a fatality/accident on the line or a signal failure or a broken down train (which can be a rare thing. Never do we think it is a smoke alarm in a signal box!

Click Here for the Signal Box smoke alarm story

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Auburn Commuter - Direct Train Service To Mount Druitt Required!

I had such a great  happy and smiley man, Aravinthan who has lived in Auburn  for the last 2 years and travels from Westmead train station to Mount Druitt train station, to do late studies obtaining his trade certificate within Australia. This has to be done although he has overseas qualifications.

The improvement he would like to see is a direct train from Auburn train station direct to Mount Druitt train station as he always has to transfer at Westmead to reach his destination. He understand the decision process is difficult a to improve his service, the NSW Government must consider the financial economy and then after, place each people's choice first.

Will This Be True? 'Busit Officers' on Buses!

I think I have created a word, hopefully it will take on or even take off!

'Busits' Officers - the bus version of Railcorp's Transit Officers for trains. This is what I have heard from a  transport Officer within Mount Druitt and  it is happening, 'That is  security officers in and around Mount Druitt, Western Sydney and even Sydney' will be employed to support bus drivers bus on trips. 

Additional to this will be the immediate positive effect on commuters, where their safety will be  placed first on the list of comfort for public transport. Won't everyone appreciate this!

Editors Notes: I've checked a few dictionaries on the Internet - unable to find  a word listed for 'Busits' as yet.




Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Bus Stops In Mount Druitt - More Accessible - Thanks Blacktown City Council

Bulolo Road Near Whalan shops
Mount Druitt bus stops are getting more facelift in making more bus stops accessible for all community members/commuters - something we have been lobbying for  quite a few years. We report last year how the former Blacktown City Council under Labor started the 'Ball' or as I call it 'Bus Stop' going!
Corner Belmore Road & Bulolo Road

100 metres from Corner of Belmore Road
and Bulolo Road








The new Blacktown City Council under the Liberal/Independent leadership needs to be congratulated also in continuing the efforts of providing funding in improvements in bus stop infrastructure, providing easier access to all commuters. Keep it up!




New Jobs For Sydney Trains & NSW Trains

Please find  advertisement for new roles/jobs at Sydney Trains /NSW Trains, see if you would like to apply, courteous of MX Newspaper:



Monday, February 18, 2013

New Safety Measure Suggestion For City Rail Trains - Woodcroft Commuter

 A  thinking gentleman Kumar, from Woodcroft travels return  from Doonside train station to St Leonards train station, Monday to Friday and finds it is common to him that  there are running late trains.  

As individuals, missing a train to reach work and arrive late can  create mood changes towards your employer and the people you meet every day because you were not happy that you are waiting for the trains that take time to arrive or even miss your regular one!
he claims  most of the late issues  could be  based on shortage of staff and/or  not maintaining a high level of regular checking of train vehicle maintenance. This in itself can have a big impact in providing an improved efficient train service.

Kumar is also concerned when he travels after 7pm to home on trains and has noticed a high amount of women waiting at train stations and sitting in train carriages. This, in itself poses questions of safety and he feels one of the best ways to maintain safety in public transport trains would be to hire police/ transit officers at least two of them patrolling on each train station platform, where trains are arriving and leaving at night.


International Student Commuters traveling In And Around Mount Druitt NOw Have Discount Fares

 I am pleased that City Rail is providing discounts in public transport travel as from this year to international students. This is something that at least one to two students in the past have requested to myself and have placed in on a previous blog - maybe our past blog hit a nerve and here it is! Well done - here id the flyer on it that I'm sure you can request from any City Train Stations.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

New Commuter On Train Heading On Western Line!

 Today I was head back home from Central and  experience a young 4 year, who carried her 'Teddy' from platform to train carriage  and even made seating for for it - This is for the very young at heart::

Transit Officers Kept On Trains - What's your Thoughts?

There is  a Facebook group for 'Transit Officers kept on trains 2' - keep an eye on it with updating details.

I support we all have mixed feelings on who should protect us on public transport trains and buses - Transit Officers have been mostly used on trains.

Maybe the average commuter doesn't care who looks after them as long as they are being look after - and to me, in theory,  many transit officers could be move out to buses and provide safety to both commuters and  transport officers.

Usually any kind of security uniform seen by any one may prevent ant potential anti-social issues that can happen on public transport. In saying that I don't expect that there would be a single security/police officer on every carriage on every train! Than againn that could happen in the future!

Click here for The Facebook site For Transit Officers




Mount Druitt Bus Tickets Indicating Late Buses On Bus Stop - Busways 750

Please note these tickets have been issued to commuters who are concerned of  bus time tables on the Busways 750 & 762 Route, as per above ticket.

It is hard for myself to assess where the actual address is that Busways supplied the ticket from was supplied by Busways will probably know.

Maybe the 9 minutes late service can be frustrating but the 16 minutes late can  make commuters pace up and down the bus stop, wondering what service are they getting. Do you think these late times are immediately creating havoc. Do commuters think that it is on purpose they are late or do they accept our public transport system may have occasional late running services, which have genuine reason for arriving late?

What do you think?





Saturday, February 16, 2013

Without People Running City Rail People Can't Catch Their Own Trains!

People tell me lots of things and although it is just one person/ individual  telling myself some hot gossip, it is  not confirmed until you start haring it from someone else or from the media! Yet everyone has a right to say what they believe in, having the knowledge  knowing where the source of information is coming from.

By now, you are all thinking what is he leading too.  I'm leading to information provided to me, from one source that sounds ironic, strange, weird unless we know if it is true. What I have been told is a secret  that will be known in the future, so I have been told - so as I was told 2 weeks ago - I am telling it now as I think we have reached that future.


Apparently by June/ July 2013 all train stations will not have a Station Master running the day to day business of running a train station, within  Sydney's City Rail network - due to redundancies!
Don't  worry Duty Managers will be appointed to run train station in their absence, who seem to be less experienced then train station managers.  I hope that one day there will never be no employees on train stations as you do need people to run the ground work of City Rail's train network.

We'll see what happens around mid year to see if it is true!

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Solutions To Dealing With Public Transport Improvements - Blacktown Commuter

Yesterday, Deepak from Blacktown travels by City Rail train to North Sydney  and return, during the week claims the train running as per time tables he assesses as one out of every five services.

He  is concerned that fares go up every year no matter what, while the NSW Government spends bullions of dollars on maintenance and upgrade services and infrastructure. He has noticed since 1995 train were more reliable then now. Services were of a higher quality.

The best way to deal with improvements he says is for the NSW Government to deal with the easiest solutions first and then complete the hard one last!

Suggestion For Air-Conditioning And Heating On Trains - Glenmore park Commuter!


.

Yesterday,  I spoke to Sam from Glenmore Park, who daily catches return City Rail trains from Penrith to the City and then also catches return train to Mascot during the weekdays. 

He finds in general services are good and sleeps easy, which rest is important to him for these times of the day. one word of advice he would like to suggest to City Rail is when starting train journeys, do not commence the heating in Winter or the Cooling in Summer, at the very beginning of the journey. He recommends  they  both should be turned on at least 15 minutes before the  very start of the morning services

Then the air-conditioning and heating is on they are good, is happy with the time table and again he commented generally trains are OK!

Check Out New Public Transport Messaging System!

There is  a new public transport messaging service that has been used by 2 members of the Western Sydney Public Transport Users Inc Steering Committee:

CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER DETAILS

Quick Response Mount Druitt LAC Police - Anti-Social Issue on Western Line Train

Please note how quick the NSW LAC Police at Mount Druitt have arrested and laid charges on an anti-social event that occurred last night - thanks to Mount Druitt Standard - Facebook Group:


Mt Druitt Standard · 2,796 like this
5 hours ago · 
Police have charged three teens over the serious assault of two brothers on a western Sydney train on Wednesday night. The brothers, aged 18 and 25, boarded a train at St Marys to travel to Rooty Hill about 10pm. They were then allegedly approached by a group of teens who demanded a cigarette. Police say the group then assaulted the two men. The younger brother got off the train at Mt Druitt and walked to a nearby licensed club where he alerted security staff. He was treated and taken to Nepean Hospital with deep facial lacerations and bruising. The other victim was found by rail staff on the train when it reached Rooty Hill. He had suffered a broken nose, facial cuts, swollen upper lip and his two front teeth had been knocked out. Police arrested three teens at Werrington train station, all aged 16. They were taken to Mt Druitt police station, where their clothes were seized as exhibits. All were charged with two counts of aggravated assault with intent to rob causing grievous bodily harm. Any witnesses are asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Overcrowded Trains Like This - Not Required In Mount Druitt!

Check out this blog on overcrowded trains in India - although it was a tragedy that happened:

Click here for the blog

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

What Happens When You Pass Your 'Train Station'?

It's not something you want to think about but then it is better to get prepared for it, in case it does happens. Yes, we all travel on trains and  have a reasonably good idea which train station we will be getting off.

Furthermore, a majority of times we get out that train station, knowing it is the correct train station we then proceed to other destinations easily. Yet when we  for some odd reason  realise that your train station is behind you then how how you react - actually how should you react?

Well over the years, there has been a few times I have over passed my train station or even caught the wrong train going to the wrong direction. I remember the first tome  was I was fast asleep - probably travelling from North Sydney or even Chatswood (where I was working) and I suddenly woke up as the train left Mount Druitt. Obviously I scared myself as I suddenly woke and the people around myself, must have been laughing inside!

After I was cool, calm and sedate and couldn't wait to get off at Penrith train station to head back home.

Recently, I caught the Express train to Penrith (from Parramatta) - not realising that it was that and acted like nothing happened! Looked passed Mount Druitt thinking that I wish there was a fault on the line and we had to get off in Mount Druitt. That didn't work!

So again, as before I got off at Penrith train station and then return to Mount Druitt train station to head home. I didn't show any anger nor was I irate!

Thirdly, I remember catching a train from North Sydney (about twenty years ago) and I read the sign saying Blacktown, Mount Druitt and Penrith after Redfern and as I was reading some journals onnthe train, later on I looked outside. I noticed was heading to North Strathfield. What did that mean was the return trip was to head back to Strathfield and then transfer to Mount Druitt.

The worst thing about that was there was a bout two hundred or more commuters who also got got on the same wrong train! Announcements were made apologise were provided at north Strathfield Train Station! maybe we were frustrated but total calm came across every one - that is the way to deal with it!

















Tuesday, February 12, 2013

What Should Not Happen On Any Form Of Public Transport - Happened On A Sydney Bus!

It didn't happen in Mount Druitt or the Greater Western Sydney and we do not not want it to happen here. This is what happened to a National TV Presenter on ABC on a Sydney State Transit Bus. I hope we all learn from this ( courteously from news. com.au ):

ABC newsreader kicked off bus after enduring abuse


Jeremy Fernandez Twitter
Jeremy Fernandez took to Twitter to share his anger about racism in Australia. Picture:
 Twitter.
ABC newsreader Jeremy Fernandez.
ABC News presenter Jeremy Fernandez has described the moment 
he was kicked off a Sydney bus after enduring verbal racial taunts.
After boarding a State Transit bus to drop his daughter off at 
preschool on Friday, Fernandez was the victim of racist abuse 
from a woman in her mid-30s with two young children of her own.

He said he endured 15 minutes of racial abuse - where the woman 
claimed she would drag Mr Fernandez off the bus if he didn't get 
off. But then it was the bus driver who eventually kicked 
Mr Fernandez off, claiming it was his fault for the altercation.
“The bus driver stopped the bus and yelled to the back of the 
bus, ‘you, get off or move’,” Mr Fernandez told news.com.au. 
"She said, 'there’s no way I'm getting off the bus, he's filthy, this 
black paedophile'." 




But the driver was in fact referring to Mr Fernandez.

"He turned to me and told me to get off or move." "I craned

my head down the aisle and I said, ‘ I'm not going anywhere, 
I have a right to be on this bus and on this seat'. I didn't want 
to cower because of my colour, I’m staying here on principle."

The bus driver - whom Mr Fernandez describes as of Southern 

European descent - then asked, ‘What do you want me to do, 
stop the bus?’

It was then that Mr Fernandez exited the bus, but not before 

his own stoush with the driver.

“As I got off I spoke to the driver, ‘ I've spent 15 minutes 

copping the most severe racial abuse and you’ve done absolutely 
nothing’," Mr Fernandez said.

"How can a migrant sit back as the captain of the bus when physical

threats are being made, when children are on the bus and not step in?

"He said, 'well, what are you going to do? Blame me for the abuse 

are you?'

"I said, 'no, I’m not going to blame you, but you allowed it to happen'."

State Transit were this morning trying to get a hold of Mr Fernandez.

"State Transit has been in contact with the ABC to try to speak 

with Jeremy about  this incident and to get more details on where 
this occurred and on what  bus," a State Transit spokesperson told 
news.com.au.

"Once we have those details we can assist him and the police, if 

necessary, with any investigation. We obviously expect all 
passengers to behave in a respectful manner to each other.

"We also expect our drivers to be courteous and respectful to 

passengers. This is conveyed in bus driver training."

"If an incident of anti-social behaviour such as this occurs, the 

bus driver may try to intervene and ask the passenger to leave 
the bus.  If required, the driver can contact a supervisor via radio 
and organise for police to meet the bus."
Mr Fernandez said he told the driver he would not move because 
he felt he had done nothing wrong, that the woman was obviously 
unstable and that he deserved to be on the bus.

“He said, ‘mate, it’s your fault'.”
It all began when the daughter of the woman started "flicking 
and pinching" Mr Fernandez's daughter on the arm and head.

"It was completely harmless stuff, but over time my daughter 

started getting a bit uncomfortable, just recoiling away from the
 pinching," he said. "She was visibly becoming quite uncomfortable, I put my arm around her."

It was then that the girl turned her attention to Mr Fernandez.

"I said darling that was my arm you just flicked."

It was at this point that the mother, who had been on her mobile 

phone, turned around and asked what happened.

Mr Fernandez then explained the situation, which the woman 

refuted, instead hurling accusations of paedophilia.

"She launched into this tirade that just came straight out of a 

fiery belly, launched into telling me to turn the other way and 
not talk to her.

"She said to me, ‘do you like five year olds do you? Because 

you've been touching her'.

"She started telling the bus her daughter had been touched by a 

black paedophile. She told me to go back to my own country, that 
I should move or get off the bus, as she was holding her fist up to 
my face."

Mr Fernandez said the woman proceeded to take her phone out 

and take photographs of him, asking her children which relatives 
should they round up and that they would come find me and teach 
me a lesson.
Fernandez went into considerable detail through his Twitter account
 this morning to describe the abuse he called his "own Rosa Parks 
moment".
"I thought I could move and then I had a flashback to a very 
famous case of a woman on a bus in the US, a black woman, 
who was told to give up her seat," he told ABC radio.
"And I thought no, I'm having my own Rosa Parks moment, I'm 
not moving from this seat because it has turned into a racial issue.
"I said I'm not going anywhere, I've just been called a black c-word, I am not going anywhere, I've not done anything wrong, I have a right to sit here, I'm going to stay here."
According to the ABC News journalist, his two-year-old daughter 
who was travelling with him, heard the racist rant in full and had to 
"hold his nerve" for the sake of the young girl. 
"All I could think at the time was just hold your nerve, my little 
girl is with me, she needs to see a strong father right now," he said.

He described having to restrain himself from punching the woman 

in the face because he knew that "would not be the smart, nor the 
right thing to do", instead, he had to "just sit here and cop it".
Racial abuse is "not uncommon" to Mr Fernandez, but he told 
news.com.au he felt the need to tweet today's experience "to put 
this on the record".

"People cop abuse like this all the time, they're not articulate like 

me, they don't feel empowered to stand up. I wanted to put it on 
the record for that reason and highlight it's still a problem.

"It’s appalling in so many ways, it's not about race, it's about 

discrimination."
Fernandez's tweets combined had garnered more than 1500 
retweets at the time of writing and an extra 500 followers since 
the incident.
Rosa Parks was an African-American civil rights activist famous 
for refusing to give up her seat on a bus in the coloured section to a 
white passenger in 1955 on driver's orders.
Her defiance sparked the civil rights movement in the US and lead 
to collaborations with fellow activists of time, including Martin 
Luther King, Jr and Edgar Nixon. This week marks the 100th 
anniversary of her birth.
Fernandez's began his career in Perth after studying at Curtin 
University and the WA Academy of Performing Arts.

He was a voice-over artist with Channel 7 before becoming a 

producer for ABC radio in Albany.


If you saw the racist attack on Jeremy Fernandez, contact Matt 

Young via Twitter @the_mattyoung
Follow the conversation on @newscomauHQ
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/television/abc-journalist-cops-racist-rant-on-sydney-bus/story-e6frfmyi-1226573416717#ixzz2KgDYBiPR


Editors notes: we as a community have to realise that we are a growing population of Australians that use immigrants to  increase our population.  All immigrants will come from all over parts of the world, with all different backgrounds and as I say before we criticise any person living and/or living in Australia, we need to understand that when the question is raised, Who is the real true blue Australian born in Australia  to remain standing? No one, we are all foreigner. We all came from different countries!

In relation to public transport and the way  public may treat public, total respect should always be desired and required. I have a 'Happy Go Lucky' attitude. I tried to make people talk, laugh, listen and learn!  That is the way we all need to treat people! So this behaviour is definitely not required on any form of public transport and I  hope people that read this blog promote peaceful commuters and  to be so nice to transport officers as they take you  to where you want to go!


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