Comments on: Long-Awaited Relief for Metrobus Drivers http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2008/03/05/long-awaited-relief-for-metrobus-drivers/ <em>City Paper</em> Writers on News, Politics, the Media, the Arts, and More Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:49:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: kreeggo http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2008/03/05/long-awaited-relief-for-metrobus-drivers/#comment-106132 kreeggo Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:25:28 +0000 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2008/03/05/long-awaited-relief-for-metrobus-drivers/#comment-106132 I'm a retired bus operator and it's a problem that's been going on for a long time. There have been small steps over the years (shields behind driver, radios, video cameras) and now a partial shield facing the bus door. I believe that the threat of increased penalties (if it were widely publicized) along with vigorous prosecution and sentencing would act as a deterrant. There is a video circulating on the internet of a person throwing a rock at a DC Metrobus driver where stitches were required to close the wound. The person was identified, arrested, prosecuted and sentenced--they received 60 days in jail and I believe were let out early. The sentence was more than a slap on the wrist but not much of a real deterrant if you can bust somebody's head open and do less than 2 months in a Detention Center. I’m a retired bus operator and it’s a problem that’s been going on for a long time. There have been small steps over the years (shields behind driver, radios, video cameras) and now a partial shield facing the bus door. I believe that the threat of increased penalties (if it were widely publicized) along with vigorous prosecution and sentencing would act as a deterrant.

There is a video circulating on the internet of a person throwing a rock at a DC Metrobus driver where stitches were required to close the wound. The person was identified, arrested, prosecuted and sentenced–they received 60 days in jail and I believe were let out early. The sentence was more than a slap on the wrist but not much of a real deterrant if you can bust somebody’s head open and do less than 2 months in a Detention Center.

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