Driver ‘had a heart of gold’
Tributes have been paid to Allan Campbell, the Stratford bus driver who died in a crash as he took students home from school.
Campbell, who was 69, died when the Tranzit Coachlines bus left the road and went down a bank on State Highway 3, between Inglewood and Egmont Village, at 3.30pm on Wednesday.
His widow, Carolyn, was too upset to talk about her loss.
Known as Uncle Tubby, Campbell was a well-known bus driver in Taranaki and in 2015 was praised for his actions when stopped the bus he was driving to help a woman to safely cross the road. ‘‘It’s just part of the job. I’d do it for any older person; I was taught to have respect,’’ he said at the time.
Kelly Gordon-Stables, a friend of Campbell’s, described him as a ‘‘well-loved man in the community that had a heart of gold’’.
‘‘He was always a real gentleman who loved people
.. . I was shocked to learn of his passing. Allan was loved by all those who knew him, and will be missed by the wider community of Stratford.’’
Karen Parry said she worked with Campbell when he was driving buses around New Plymouth and described him as a good allrounder.
‘‘He’d help you out if you needed anything. If you wanted something to eat, coffee or anything, he’d sort you out,’’ Parry said.
‘‘He used to get us a lot of fresh fish. I don’t know whether he caught it himself of he had a friend who got it for him.’’
Neil Volzke, mayor of Stratford, said his death was an ‘‘absolute tragedy’’.
‘‘It was very saddening to learn that the person killed was a local resident and my condolences to his family,’’ he said.
‘‘Nobody expects to go off to work and have this type of tragic accident happen.’’
Inglewood Community Board chairwoman Karen Moratti said: ‘‘Our sincere sympathies to the family of the driver and thoughts are with the students at this difficult time.’’
The bus, heading from Inglewood High School to Egmont Village, had 13 students on board, aged from 12 to 17.
Ten students were taken to Taranaki Base Hospital and all were discharged shortly after.
The school was open as normal yesterday, but a staff member said ‘‘our first priority will be with our students’’.
School principal Rosey Mabin said none of the 13 students on the bus were seriously injured.
‘‘All were taken to either Base hospital or Inglewood Medical Centre. As soon as the police provided us with facts, parents were notified.
‘‘Our thoughts and prayers are with the bus driver’s wife and family at this terribly sad time.
‘‘While times like this are difficult, they also bring out the best in us. Our school is essentially a family unit; today we are drawing strength from each other and from the knowledge that we are surrounded by wonderful care and support from our community.
‘‘As much as our hearts go out to the bus driver’s wife, our focus too, is on our students and, as
strange as it may seem, carrying on with normal routine is important, so the school day is proceeding as usual.’’
Tranzit Coachlines managing director Paul Snelgrove confirmed the bus involved was a Mitsubishi Fuso. That is the same make as buses in two other crashes in the past fortnight – one on the Mt Ruapehu skifield road, killing 11-year-old Hannah Francis, and one on SH1 in Manawatu¯ , injuring 19.
But the bus in Wednesday’s crash was a ‘‘totally different’’ vehicle, Snelgrove said.
With between 38 and 43 seats, it was larger than the buses in the other two crashes.
‘‘It’s a horrible coincidence, that’s all it is,’’ Snelgrove said. He was confident the bus had been in good condition, and could not comment on the cause of the crash. ‘‘We have no idea what happened. All we know is the bus has gone off the road.’’
Based in Masterton, Snelgrove was flying up to New Plymouth yesterday morning.
‘‘Obviously to talk to police, but also to see our driver’s wife as well. It’s a traumatic time for her. It’s a very very close team we have in Taranaki.’’
He also intended to visit the school of the students on the bus, and make sure everyone was getting all the help they needed.
The Ministry of Education said it had offered its assistance.
‘‘The school is managing well at this time and have supports in place for their students,’’ said Katrina Casey, deputy secretary sector enablement and support.
A crane was brought in to remove the bus yesterday afternoon.
Police said the crash is being investigated.