Taxi drivers in the Aalborg area say a new automated transport system for children with disabilities is causing daily chaos, including cases where two sisters bound for the same school are collected by two separate vehicles.
According to reporting by DR, drivers went public on August 28 with their experiences of the new system. It plans transport for children with disabilities and autism to special schools and special programs.
The more automated system was put into use at the start of the school year on August 13. It replaced an older, manually operated system and was meant to ease planning and make better use of the flextaxi fleet.
Since then, some children have received no transport at all, DR reports. Others arrive late to school, and some are collected only after the school has closed.
Jan Skaug, a driver with Aalborg Taxa, described picking up a girl of seven or eight while her younger sister waited on the sidewalk. The younger sister was not allowed to ride along, even though she was going to the same school at the same time.
Per Skaug, a second large vehicle then arrived for her. Two vehicles with room for 16 passengers each drove in convoy with one small girl in each. He called it a foolish use of tax money.
Drivers point to vulnerable children
Other drivers told DR that building trust with the children often takes several weeks. Many of the passengers are vulnerable children with diagnoses including anxiety, autism and ADHD.
Under the new system, children can be met by a different driver every day. As stated by Skaug, this creates stress, and drivers are left in the line of fire from parents, citizens and institution staff.
Marlene Quist chairs BHOV, the association for parents of children with special needs in Aalborg. She described the situation as very chaotic and said it burdens families who are already under pressure.
As noted by Quist, arriving late to school is very difficult for many of the children. Being collected too early and meeting entirely new drivers each day is also a heavy strain, she said.
Claus Madsen, a dispatcher who runs operations at Terndrup Taxa og Turistbusser, said the phone has rung constantly every morning since the school year began. He starts work at six o’clock and described drivers receiving ride orders that conflict with the paperwork parents are holding.
Madsen said drivers are then scolded and call the office to pass on the complaints. He added that it affects him when parents sit and cry.
Dorte Jespersgaard, head of Aalborg Municipality’s transport office, said she understands the frustrations. She acknowledged that the municipality has been knocked off balance by the new system.
Jespersgaard said staff are working at full pressure to correct errors and shortcomings. She expects the system to function well eventually, but could not say when all problems will be fixed.
