How Can this Happen
Submitted: Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 at 09:17
ThreadID: 153893
Views:969
Replies:3
FollowUps:10
Stephen L (Clare) SA
A
young female English backpacker was left stranded by the Greyhound bus company in
Pimba, Outback South Australia on route at Midnight.
The usually 20 minutes stop was extended by 5 minutes as the buses onboard
toilet system was not working.
At that hour of the night, the frightened lady called 000 and was picked up by Police who where doing a prisoner transfer two and a half hours later.
How can this thing happen and you would think the bus driver would do a head count before leaving at that hour of the night.
Lady left behind at Pimba at Midnight
Reply By: Andrew L - Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 at 12:24
Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 at 12:24
Human nature, deadlines and
places to be, plus night shift. Happens in boats transporting divers too.
AnswerID:
649588
Follow Up By: Stephen L (Clare) SA - Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 at 18:55
Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 at 18:55
You think the most logical thing is the bus driver do a simple head count, especially at midnight
FollowupID:
931421
Reply By: RMD - Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 at 13:21
Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 at 13:21
Stephen.
To do a HEAD COUNT, the driver would have to run a TALLY SHEET to keep track of the DEPARTING and BOARDING numbers. along the way. ALSO , when he STOPS they rush off, Hard to say "STAY SEATED UNTIL I COUNT all of you. Mission Impossible! The traveller could tell him if they think they would be a little longer than he EXPECTS. Have you driven Bus or COACH loads of people and kept tally? On interstate school trips the TEACHERS have a difficult time counting heads. Depending on number of passengers it is BETTER to count empty seats. BEEN THERE DONE THAT but only ever left ONE in
MELBOURNE because he didn't say he wasn't returning to the Coach. that stuffed up the departure and ARRIVAL at the end of run.
AnswerID:
649590
Follow Up By: Member - David M (SA) - Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 at 15:37
Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 at 15:37
Even one is one to many RMD.
Dave
FollowupID:
931419
Follow Up By: Member - nick boab - Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 at 16:10
Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 at 16:10
I would have thought it would be a "duty of care" to check that all paid passengers were on board ??
FollowupID:
931420
Follow Up By: Stephen L (Clare) SA - Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 at 19:00
Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 at 19:00
RMD
The bus driver actually left before the official scheduled stop was to leave .
The lady was aware of what time the bus driver said they were going to leave, so she knew she had ample time to clean her teeth, but when she came out…..there was no bus.
So much for a duty of care by the driver
FollowupID:
931422
Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Thursday, Sep 24, 2026 at 08:25
Thursday, Sep 24, 2026 at 08:25
Hi Guys,
It has been a long time since I travelled by interstate bus, but back then, the driver had a passenger list with names and destinations. At every scheduled stop, terminating passengers were ticked off, and the list was checked for “missing” passengers before the bus continued its journey. I travelled from
Melbourne to
Ballina and back twice, with various stops along the way.
Macca.
FollowupID:
931423
Follow Up By: RMD - Thursday, Sep 24, 2026 at 10:10
Thursday, Sep 24, 2026 at 10:10
AND now Stephen TELLS US more information MISSING in the ORIGINAL COMMENT. That CHANGES the WHOLE ISSUE and REPLIES TOO!
FollowupID:
931424
Follow Up By: Stephen L (Clare) SA - Thursday, Sep 24, 2026 at 10:53
Thursday, Sep 24, 2026 at 10:53
There is a lot more to say, the lady was interviewed on the ABC Radio in
Adelaide.
Those were her words, the bus company have also lost one of her bags in
Adelaide, while the other bags were off loaded at the Greyhound depot in
Port Augusta after the Police contacted them.
The lady is not impressed as you would expect and the company are dodging their responsibility.
What more would you like to know
FollowupID:
931425
Follow Up By: Stephen L (Clare) SA - Thursday, Sep 24, 2026 at 10:59
Thursday, Sep 24, 2026 at 10:59
Also for a head count, the driver sits opposite the door and people can only get off one at a time, so providing the driver can count, very simple to count as the people get off the bus.
When the driver has a bus full of people with no working
toilet, as the lady said on the radio, their was a big line up at the ladies
toilet and the bus driver was going to extent the stay to 25 minutes.
It’s ok for us fellas, just have a pee at the back of the bus, but ladies like more privacy.
The driver then left before the time was up, a fella could run up but the lady in the
toilet would not have seen it drive off.
FollowupID:
931426
Reply By: Batt's - Thursday, Sep 24, 2026 at 14:56
Thursday, Sep 24, 2026 at 14:56
Back in 1989 I travelled on a bus with a cousin of
mine from
Cairns to
Newcastle on McCafferty's which had several stops and we changed busses at terminals in Mackay, Hervey Bay from memory. Every time before we left any of the stops the driver walked down the isle doing a head count which is not hard to do it use to be done and must have been part of their procedure way back then. I would say it’s just a lazy driver too focused on getting home for a break or something.
What's a few minutes change in their schedule ? Nothing as it constantly changes on the journey with traffic etc etc.
AnswerID:
649595
Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Friday, Sep 25, 2026 at 07:50
Friday, Sep 25, 2026 at 07:50
Yes Batts,
That was my experience as I outlined in my earlier response. It was back in the late 1960’s, I was 16 the first time, and 17 the following year.
Melbourne to
Sydney overnight, then
Sydney to
Ballina over night. Both times one year apart. The driver had a checklist and checked names at each stop. That was with Ansett Bus Lines at the time.
Macca.
FollowupID:
931428
Follow Up By: Batt's - Friday, Sep 25, 2026 at 15:02
Friday, Sep 25, 2026 at 15:02
We all might start seeing more Greyhound bus adds on tv soon as part of the damage control.
FollowupID:
931437