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Woman Kicked Off Bus Over Fare Row Accuses Driver Of Racism

Woman Kicked Off Bus Over Fare Row Accuses Driver Of Racism

She believes she was unfairly discriminated against

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

A woman has claimed she was told to get off a bus a stop early after rowing with the driver over 40p ($0.52), because 'racism is still raging in 2017'.

Farrahn Spence was on her way to Manchester Metropolitan University, when she hopped on the Stagecoach bus and paid her usual fare of £1.60 ($2.10), but she says that at one point during the journey, the driver stepped out of his cab and told her she should have paid £2 ($2.62).

Spence, 20, who studies events management, says she offered to make up the difference, but the driver refused and told her she would need to pay an additional £1.60 to go to the next stop.

Credit: Mercury Press

She said: "Every time I've gone to this stop I've always paid £1.60 - there's never been any issue.

"When we got to the Oxford Road stop, the driver got out of his cab - I thought he was going to help someone disabled or with a wheelchair - and walked through the packed bus towards me.

"He pointed at me and said 'you' and summoned me over. I was told 'get off the bus, your fare ended here, if you wanted the next stop you should have paid £2′."

She says she was left feeling humiliated as she was forced to get off the bus and walk the rest of the way.

Spence added: "I was so embarrassed - I felt discriminated against. Everyone on the bus seemed to be white, there was only me and another black girl on there.

Credit: Mercury Press

"I don't know why he felt he had to get out of his cab to kick me off. It seemed like he had a bigger agenda to discriminate against me, whether it's because I'm black or I'm female.

"It goes to show that racism and other issues are still alive and raging in 2017. The driver embarrassed me, disrespected me and inconvenienced me - it's really upset me."

A spokesperson from Stagecoach said that an investigation found 'no evidence' the driver 'behaved in an aggressive or discriminatory manner'.

They said: "We welcome all passengers on board our services regardless of their background.

"It does appear that the problem occurred because of a misunderstanding between the driver and the passenger about which stop she wanted to travel to, for which we are extremely sorry. Our driver should have accepted the 40p to make good the difference.

"We are providing additional training for our driver to prevent this from happening again."

Featured Image Credit: Mercury Press

Topics: Racism, travel, student, Bus