Public Transport Authority investigating video of bus driver reading, writing between Perth and Geraldton

A bus driver reading and writing while driving a bus load of passengers from Perth to Geraldton last week was caught and filmed by a concerned passenger. The three-minute video obtained by 7NEWS shows the driver — who is believed to be an experienced operator — flicking through documents understood to be a passenger manifest while he occasionally tips his head up to check in front of him. The man steers the bus while reading and writing from a clipboard placed on top of the wheel, even overtaking traffic while working on the documents. It was filmed by a concerned passenger during a journey from Perth to Geraldton — more than 400km along a rural road — last week. Speaking to 7NEWS, another bus driver said there was no excuse for putting the lives of passengers at risk. “You’d be absolutely wetting yourself, that’s just not acceptable, that’s just dangerous,” he said. “You’re responsible for the lives of how many people on the back of the bus . . . you’ve got to be responsible for that.” A Public Transport Authority spokesperson said it took safety seriously and was investigating the video. “Safety of our passengers, our own people, our infrastructure and our rolling stock is an absolute priority at the PTA,” the spokesperson said. “The matter is being investigated internally.” Police are also investigating the incident. The driver could face a careless driving charge, which carries a maximum penalty of a $1500 fine.