Driver fired after leaving 7-year-old Leechburg student on bus

A W.L. Roenigk driver has been fired for leaving a 7-year-old Leechburg Area student on a minibus, company president Sue Roenigk said Thursday.

The boy was mistakenly driven to the bus company’s Allegheny Township garage and office on Greenwood Road, about 5 miles from David Leech Elementary School where the child is a student.

Bus company officials said another driver saw the student getting out of the bus in the parking lot, and he was brought into the office. The student was then bused back to the elementary school, officials said.

Roenigk said the driver didn’t check to see if any students were left on the bus, which is company policy. The driver was subsequently fired.

Roenigk didn’t know the exact day of last week’s incident, which she said was reported to ChildLine. She declined to name the female driver.

“She failed to do her job. When someone fails to do their job, there are consequences for it,” Roenigk said. “We are very rigid with the consequences. The consequences are it’s a termination and what else happens from there is out of my control.

“I know she was very, very remorseful and very upset,” Roenigk said of the driver. “She’s a very nice lady who diligently does her driving and has done her job very, very well. But … I can’t say, ‘Well, you’re a nice (person) so I’ll keep you.’ It’s part of the job. You didn’t do it. There are consequences.”

Roenigk said the company subsequently sent out a memo to its drivers emphasizing the importance of checking buses after every trip.

“A 7-year-old was left on a minibus this morning. He got himself off the bus and was found walking in the parking lot. Nice cold morning for a small child to be wandering through a parking lot,” the memo said. “Child checks are not a joke. Child checks are not an inconvenience. Child checks are part of the job. Failing to do your child check could have tragic results. And the loss of your job will be the least of those. Check your bus after every trip. It is the law. It is company policy. And there are no excuses acceptable if you don’t.”

Leechburg Area School District Superintendent Tiffany Nix said in a statement the incident “did not meet the district’s expectations or contractual requirements, and the district has addressed it” with the bus company.

”The driver involved will not be performing any services for the district henceforth and the district has taken steps to restate the expectations and requirements applicable to bus drivers,” Nix said.