Primary school children endangered by having to walk across major road after bus missed their stop

This is just one of many bus-service failings reported to the Leader since U-Go Mobility took over shire services. Children and the elderly have been particularly impacted.

Katie Hellyer, of Menai, said, when children returned to school, the S108 bus from Menai to Tharawal Public School did not pick up a group waiting at Ferrier Drive and so they had to walk to school without supervision.

"The situation escalated in the afternoon when the S006 bus failed to drop them at their stop," she said. "Instead, the bus inexplicably left the children on Old Illawarra Road.

"That placed them in danger as they were forced to cross a busy road with no crossing or lights.

"There was no communication regarding any changes to the bus route. When I contacted customer service to seek clarification, the representative was disinterested and unhelpful. He said he would investigate the matter... but he didn't call back."

A Grays Point Public School parent said the school sent a message last week that the S248 bus was running 35 minutes late in the afternoon. "It had just left at 3.53pm, and the bell goes at 3.15pm," she said.

Another traveller said "My bus, the 6am service from Grays Point has not turned up on Monday, Thursday and Friday, and also on Friday the 6.30 didn't come either. The bus company is saying it is because of driver shortage, but there was no problem on my route until 1 July this year and I have caught this bus every week for 30 years.

"I have been late every day this week because of the unreliable service."

A Caringbah South resident was sideswiped by a bus driver, whom she said was "inexperienced".

"He totally misjudged the length and swing of his bus as he turned right from President Avenue into Kingsway, Caringbah while I was stationary in the left hand lane waiting to turn left," she said. "It was a traumatic experience for myself and my son, and caused extensive damage to my car."

Robert Gibson, 83, a resident at St Basil's Miranda, was taken on a mystery ride when he caught a 977 service from Miranda to Caringbah station.

"I asked the driver if he was going to Caringbah and he said 'yes', and we headed that way, but when I looked up we were going down a street I had never seen before," he said.

"I asked where we were going and this time he said we weren't going to Caringbah, so I told him to stop and let me off and I had to walk a long way."

Heathcote MP Maryanne Stuart said many parents had contacted her and her office to report their children had been stranded at school or a bus stop due to a driver failing to show up.

"These haven't been one offs - they have been regular occurrences," she said.

"In some instances bus drivers have driven directly past the school but failed to stop despite students and teachers clearly waiting for the service.

"To say I am disgusted would be an incredibly gross understatement.

"However, I am buoyed by the fact Transport Minister Jo Haylen has instructed Transport for NSW to impose fines and penalties on U-Go Mobility until they the provider actually fulfills its contractual obligations."

U-Go Mobility took over services from Transdev and Punchbowl Bus Company in Sutherland Shire and St George from July 1.

Many drivers chose not to join the new operator, leading to a shortfall of 69 positions.

After a chaotic start, the company made sweeping changes to the timetable on Tuesday last week, cutting hundreds of trips, with the stated aim of making services more predictable.

On Friday, the acting secretary of Transport for NSW Howard Collins gave the company four days to show why it's contract shouldn't be terminated.

"We understand that U-Go has cancelled approximately 95 trips each weekday since service commencement (July 1)," Mr Collins wrote.

"Since the new school term commenced, U-Go has cancelled approximately 430 trips each weekday.

"TfNSW is extremely concerned about U-Go's performance of the services to date and its ongoing ability to provide the services under the contract in accordance with the required service levels."

"TfNSW is taking this matter very seriously and considering all of its options under the contract, including but not limited to its rights to terminate the contract...as well as exercising its step-in rights and bringing an action for damages for breach of contract."

Mr Collins called on the company to "demonstrate what steps and remedial measures it has taken, and plans to take and by when, to remedy the service defaults".

Transport Minister Jo Haylen said U-Go Mobility's performance had been "nothing short of appalling".

"This is one of a number of contracts that were signed under the previous government at the eleventh hour before the election," she said.

U-Go Mobility said in a statement, "We have not met our contractual obligations to provide satisfactory services to the community, and would like to apologise to all of our passengers".

A "chronic and unprecedented bus driver shortage" was blamed for the situation.

U-Go said the new timetable sought to avoid cutting out consecutive or last trips, and gave priority to dedicated school services.