File photo unrelated to this article. [Getty Images Bank]
File photo unrelated to this article. [Getty Images Bank]

A woman in her 60s who drives an express bus was fined after allowing middle school students to ride standing — a practice banned on highway routes — because she could not bear to leave them stranded late at night.

According to JTBC's "Sageon Banjang," a TV current-affairs program, the woman, identified only as A, has worked as a bus driver for 20 years. She was operating the last express bus of the night on the day of a fireworks festival when she let on a group of students who appeared to be middle schoolers.

The bus was already full, leaving A with no room for additional passengers under normal rules. But after the students repeatedly pleaded to board late at night, she relented and let them on.

"Standing passengers aren't allowed because the bus uses the highway, but I felt terrible about leaving young students behind so late," she recalled. "I told them to hold on tight and be careful not to fall."

After the students boarded, a male passenger confronted A, arguing that standing passengers violated the rules. "This is an express bus — standing isn't allowed, is it?" he said. "Why are you letting them on?"

A explained that the fireworks festival had drawn large crowds, the hour was late and the students were too young to leave behind, and asked him to make an exception just this once. The man was unmoved. "Kids and adults are the same — they're all people," he said.

He then brought up a past incident in which he had been turned away from a full bus. "You didn't let me on when I tried to board before," he said. "Do you know how much I had to spend on a taxi because I was in such a rush?"

The man ultimately called police, telling them, "There's an express bus right now with standing passengers — please come to the next stop quickly."

After police arrived, A admitted fault and paid the fine. She said she was later notified that an additional complaint had been filed through the government's public petition portal.

Attorney Lee Ji-hoon, who reviewed the case, said the standing ban on highway buses exists for safety reasons and that A had shown a lack of professional responsibility as a driver. "Good intentions are not the same as acting without judgment," he added. "Safety is not something you can compromise."


choigo@heraldcorp.com