A bus driver who was fired from his job of five years after he unknowingly left a five-year-old girl sleeping on the back seat has been given a second chance.
Ross Belsham, 79, was fired by the bus company after Alyssa New, 5, was found by police when she began banging on windows.
Thousands of people, including the young girl’s father, protested online against the decision to sack the loyal driver since the incident in Brisbane.
Mr Belsham said although he had been made a scapegoat by the company, he was given a new job at Brisbane 360 thanks to the support of a campaign.
Ross Belsham, 79, (left) was fired by the bus company after Alyssa New, 5, (right) was found on the bus by police when she began banging on windows
The loyal bus driver (pictured) was fired from his job of five years after he unknowingly left the five-year-old girl sleeping on the back seat, but now he has been given a second chance
Thousands of people, including the young girl’s father (pictured), protested online against the decision to sack the loyal driver since the incident in Brisbane
Mr Belsham was offered a job at Brisbane 360 following the huge support from the campaign
‘It’s charter work … overseas tourists, students and local charter work,’ Mr Belsham told Today on Friday.
‘We’re a lot happier, things are looking good.’
The 79-year-old said he knew Alyssa well because she used to jump on his bus every day last year.
‘I used to get out of my seat every morning, put her seat belt on next to the window and put a Grade 6 next to her to break her in and that was morning and night,’ he told the program.
Alyssa’s mother, Bobbie-Jo Langdon, raised the alarm four hours before the young girl was found on the bus by police at 7.30pm in Logan on January 22.
‘It’s charter work … overseas tourists, students and local charter work,’ Mr Belsham told The Morning Show on Friday
Ms Langdon called authorities at 3.15pm when her daughter never returned from Jimboomba State School that day.
The 79-year-old driver said the incident was the failing of multiple people and he didn’t deserve to take the fall for everyone involved.
‘I’ve lost my job and I don’t think I’ve had a fair run. That’s the end of my life, unless somebody out there wants to give me a job,’ he told Nine News at the time.
Mr Belsham said problems began where there were no teachers at the bus stop to act as bus monitors when he arrived, as required by the school.
He did his check for lost belongings and rubbish, then went to search for teachers to help the students board the bus.
‘I got out of the bus, went to the back to look and there was nobody there. There was nobody at the gate, no teachers, nobody walking down. Nobody,’ he said.
Queensland mother Bobbie-Jo Langdon (pictured, left) called the authorities at 3.15pm when her daughter Alyssa New (pictured, right) never returned from Jimboomba State School
Alyssa likely snuck on the bus while Mr Belsham was helping the unaccompanied students and fell asleep.
The driver returned with four students and was unaware he had a fifth up the back when he got behind the wheel and started driving.
He said Alyssa’s mother, who is facing multiple drug and theft charges, wasn’t at the Yarrabilba bus stop where she usually got off.
Ms Langdon claimed she was at the bus stop but multiple sources contradicted this claim, and she refused to comment to Channel 9 reporters on Wednesday.
‘If she was I would’ve stopped. I would’ve wondered what she was doing there and thought where’s Alyssa and naturally stopped. That would’ve been the end of that,’ Mr Belsham said.
The letter of termination Mr Belsham received on Tuesday that cited comments by Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey as a reason for outright sacking him
After the four children left the bus, Mr Belsham returned to the depot but didn’t check the back of the bus because he’d already done it.
‘I did sweep the bus. It’s not that I didn’t do, I didn’t go back because I’d already done it,’ he said of the error that cost him his job.
Though Ms Langdon’s panicked call raised the alarm with Logan Coaches, no one checked the buses and Alyssa stayed there until she woke up.
Mr Belsham was suspended and submitted an incident report as part of his employer’s investigation, and on Tuesday was sacked.
‘Had you followed company policy and procedure at the end of your shift, the trauma and stress suffered by Alyssa New would have been avoided,’ CavBus general manager Peter Bowerman wrote in the termination letter.
Mr Bowerman cited comments by Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey as a reason for outright sacking Mr Belsham.
‘The incident is indefensible and no parent should have to experience this avoidable trauma and stress,’ it quoted Mr Bailey saying.
‘It’s completely unacceptable and we need to make sure that this can’t happen again.’
Alyssa pictured together with the police officers who searched for her last week
Logan Coaches refused to comment on Mr Belsham’s sacking or any of the circumstances and contributing factors around the incident.
The driver acknowledged he made a mistake and needed to be reprimanded, but felt a sacking was over the top.
‘A suspension… that’s all it deserves. There was no sacking in it,’ he said.
Being sacked has left him with no income and he feared for his future and that of his 78-year-old wife who has medical problems, he said.
Ms Langdon faced Beenleigh Magistrates Court on January 24 on three counts of stealing, and one count each of possessing a dangerous drug, possessing a drug utensil, and failing to dispose of a needle.
Her case was adjourned to Beaudesert Magistrates Court on February 13.
A day earlier she had announced she was taking her daughter out of school and asked for donations to take her to Dreamworld where she was heavily criticised.
She then lashed out at the bus company and her critics, threatening legal action against Logan Coaches.
‘I’ll be pressing charges on you and every other person that made comments on my life and the way I live!’ she said at the time.
‘How f***ing dare you make judgment on me or my family over social media.’
Mr Belsham was suspended and submitted an incident report as part of Logan Coach’s investigation, and on Tuesday was sacked