NSW: Bus drivesr who can't read signs

Started by Buzz Killington, March 13, 2008, 08:13:25 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Buzz Killington

QuoteExclusive by Heath Aston

March 13, 2008 05:54pm

MOTORISTS are sharing the road with foreign bus drivers who can't read even the simplest of traffic signs in English.

Non-English speaking drivers are awash in the multi-million dollar inbound tourist market, increasingly dominated by Chinese and Korean companies.

The situation has led the transport safety watchdog to demand that all bus drivers take road knowledge tests in English.

Currently, foreign drivers can sit RTA tests in whatever language they choose.

The absurdity of the system was highlighted by the death of three Taiwanese tourists in 2005 when their mini-van driver, Hua Chen, lost control on a steep hill at Jamberoo, near Wollongong.

Chen, a Chinese national who had been in Australia less than two months, could not read a sign warning that the road was too steep for buses.

The Office of Transport Safety Investigations (OTSI) is concerned another tragedy could occur.

"OTSI considers that NSW passengers have a right to expect that the driver of any public passenger bus on which they travel can comprehend a wide variety of road signs and emergency warning signs, both written and representative," the report states.

For the full story, see tomorrow's Daily Telegraph.


http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23369175-5001021,00.html

Sir Pompously

In the words of Jackie Chiles 'That's totally inappropriate. It's lewd, lascivious, salacious, outrageous!"

Irisbus Rider

I think english should be known before people come into the country, refugees exempt.

Buzz Killington

nobody noticed my deliberate mistake in the thread title? :)

seat cover

The real point to this, is that some come over on temporary work visa from asia, do an NSW driver authority course and are out driving tourists with out an understanding of Australian traffic or distances. As most of these drivers don't undertand englishnthy work for less than award rates and take jobs off Australian owned coach companies and aussie drivers. Its cheaper than bringing a bilingual tour guide out with the group.

Read the report on the otsi web site and you will see that this was an accident waiting to happen. Murray's made a fortune doing inbound asain tours and these small operators from oversea's are taking heaps of tourist dollars out of this country. 
 

bubzie

ryan, i'm sure im not the only one who noticed...i just ignored it :D