Hastings Dial-a-Ride driver dismissed from the service

A volunteer driver who transported passengers with limited mobility to the shops or to enjoy meals with their friends has been suspended after ten years with the service.
Gerald CarpenterGerald Carpenter
Gerald Carpenter

Gerald Carpenter, 48, started volunteering with Dial-a-Ride in 2009.

He has now been suspended from the service.

Pat Weaver, the director at Hastings Community Trasnport, did not reveal the reason for Mr Carpenter’s dismissal.

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However, she said: “We made the decision we no longer wanted him to work for us.

“Gerald (Mr Carpenter) has been dispensed from his volunteering with us.”

Mr Carpenter, speaking to the Hastings Observer, said he was dismissed because of a complaint ‘from a customer about his driving’. Mr Carpenter said he denies the allegation.

He said: “Dial-a-Ride received a complaint and, after ten years of working for free, they decided to dismiss me.

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“What has been said is not true. Every customer knows me and I know everything about them. They know what I used to do for them.

“The service was suspended for a short while and none of the customers were told why so I told them all why I had been dismissed.”

When asked if he thought he would ever work for Dial-a-Ride again, Mr Carpenter said: “That’s not going to happen.”

Hastings Community Transport confirmed the service was suspended for a short while as one of the vehicles required a ‘substantial amount’ of work.

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The work has now been completed and the service is back up and running, according to Hastings Community Transport.

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