This isn't baby related really, but I'm baffled by it.Brian and I went to the Fair today, and we parked in the upper parking lots. In these lots, there is a shuttle the comes by every few minutes and transports you down to the fair for free. These shuttles are Centro Busses. For those of you who aren't from Syracuse, Centro is our regional transportation provider, providing bus transportation all over Central New York.
Anyway, we got on the bus and sat down, and watched a couple with a stroller get on after us. Now, I have no idea how old the baby was, and to be honest I can't even remember if it was a bulky infant stroller or an umbrella stroller for an older child. But the child in question was definitely not older than 2 or so. A few seconds later the driver's voice came over the loudspeaker and said "You have to take the baby out of the stroller." So, in order for us to start moving, the parents had to unstrap the baby and hold him or her for the ride down the the fair.
Why is this a rule?? Brian says it's a liability thing-- that by the parent holding the child/baby, Centro is not liable for anything that may happen during the ride. For example, (according to Brian), if the bus were to be in an accident, and the parent couldn't protect the baby, then the parent is liable, not Centro. I get his theory and I see where he's coming from, but... wouldn't a baby be safer in a stroller, strapped in and close to the ground as opposed to being held by a parent who is either completely unrestrained or standing up? Granted, strollers roll, but A parent who was standing and holding a baby would have a very difficult time staying upright, let alone holding onto a baby, if the bus suddently stopped.
Has anyone else ever experienced anything like this? Or have a guess as to why this is the rule on the bus? I'm assuming this is a rule all the time, though the only experience I have with the bus is at the fair. I'm just completely confused by it! I even looked through the Centro website but couldn't find ANY of their riding policies, so no answers there!
Edit: I found the policy on the Centro website, and here's what they have to say:
Can I bring a baby stroller on the bus?
Any passenger may board or alight from the bus with a stroller in the following ways:
*Requesting to use the lift with the child in the stroller (especially in full size strollers).
Or
*Removing the child from the stroller prior to boarding.
Centro will not allow customers to physically carry strollers onto or off of the bus with a child in the stroller. Please make sure that all strollers are folded up while the bus is in motion.
3 comments:
They also have this policy in NYC on buses and subways but no one actually follows it. I have no idea why. Frankly on the subway there is no chance of me removing Colin from the stroller unless I have to. He is way safer inside at this "hand in the mouth all the time" age.
Isn't a stroller like a wheelchair, in a way? You can't ask the person in a wheelchair to "hop out" of the chair b/c outside of the chair he/she has no ability to defend against safety in the same way that a stroller provides an infant with some safety. -Elaine
Here is my thought -- from 2 different angles (both lawyerly and b/c of my mom's occupation!).
A stroller is different from a wheelchair -- b/c a wheelchair probably has to be strapped into the bus using the tethers in the handicap spot -- I am sure that is the rule for public transportation. I know that on school buses, wheelchairs obviously have to be tethered.
I also agree with Brian's thoughts on liability. If a parent is holding a child and the parent falls, s/he is more than certain to twist himself/herself as to protect the child. In a stroller, a parent doesn't have that option, and the stroller could easily become "runaway" and crash into things. Also, the stroller in an aisle creates an evacuation hazard in the event of an emergency.
I took the boys on a bus last fall when we went to an apple festival, and it was a fiasco. Thank goodness my law school friends were with me -- b/c it took 4 people -- one person for each kid, one person to carry the stroller, and one person to usher people out of the way so the stroller could get through the aisle.
My thoughts!
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