Joseph said she is waiting on the police to contact her.
A female passenger has alleged that she was repeatedly punched by a bus driver last night, Sept. 1 after she requested a refund.
Angelle Joseph told St. Lucia News Online (SNO) that the incident occurred at about 11 p.m. on a Ciceron bus. Joseph said she sat in the bus on Bridge Street, Castries and waited.
When the bus was filled with passengers, Joseph said the driver began to collect the fares, during which time she gave him $5.
The driver gave her $2 in change. However, Joseph said the bus driver shortened her by $1 and she brought this to his attention.
Angelle Joseph showing her swollen face.
“I asked him why it is $2 I’m receiving, not $3, because to my knowledge if you board the bus before 11 p.m. you pay regular price, and if not, you pay a price and a half. He said I could go and report him to the president of the National Transportation Council.”
The driver then refused to give her the $1. As a result, Joseph decided to take another bus and requested a refund – the balance of $3.
However, Joseph told SNO that the driver refused and proceeded to collect bus fares from the other passengers. When she got off the bus, Joseph said she went by the driver’s window and continued to request the refund at which time the driver attended to leave.
She proceeded to ask for the money at which point she was allegedly punched in the face and assaulted repeatedly.
“Honestly I never thought it would have come to this point, where I would have been assaulted by a driver and being punched in my face. Even my uniform had been damaged, ripped off,” Joseph added.
Joseph said a report was later made to the police, who told her they would contact her for more information. She said no contact has been made with her, thus far.
“I’m being attacked by the owner of the bus saying that I vandalised his vehicle and that was never reported to the police last night night,” Joseph told SNO.
The Gros Islet police are currently investigating a similar issue where a Guyanese woman had an altercation over a fare difference of 25 cents with a Gros Islet bus driver on August 22.
Audrey Fredericks, who lives in Bois D’Orange, Gros Islet, had told SNO that she was allegedly assaulted and bitten by the bus driver in a fall-out over bus fare for $3.25 cents.
Fredericks has also written the National Council of Public Transportation.