A Lower Hutt woman revealed she is a boycotting a bus service after she received an abusive, racist text message from an employee. Photo / Facebook
A Lower Hutt woman revealed she is a boycotting a bus service after she received an abusive, racist text message from an employee. Photo / Facebook
A Lower Hutt woman revealed she is a boycotting a bus service after she received an abusive, racist text message from an employee.
Lealofi Fuataga, who is the Programme Director of Kids on f.o.o.t, revealed a series of text messages on Facebook between herself and a New Zealand Coach Service employee when she was trying to organise a bus trip for her after-school care programme.
However, she was met with disgust when the employee responded with an explicit, racist and abusive text message.
Fuataga asked "admittedly last minute" if she could a book a bus for the week, where they responded that it was "very late notice yet again" but she would need to email.
Unfortunately, Fuataga was away on holiday in Australia and said she would make other requirements — the employee's response was disgusting.
"Here's an idea ya dumb spear chucker, DON'T RUN A SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM THEN F**K OFF ON YOUR OWN HOLIDAY WHILE THE S**T'S HITTING THE FAN."
Shocked by the reply, Fuataga said the text message would make a great post as feedback for the company.
The employee then realised their mistake and quickly apologised: "I typed that as a draft and deleted it immediately when I saw how dumb it was. I'm sorry."
But Fuataga basically said it was "too bad" and said she will be getting in contact with a manager.
The employee tried to backtrack and say the message wasn't intended for her, but Fuataga didn't believe them and said she was disappointed since her company has been working with NZCS for seven years.
Photo / Facebook
Photo / Facebook
Photo / Facebook
Photo / Facebook
In her Facebook post, Fuataga revealed that she is boycotting the business and how she was disgusted by the employee's behaviour.
"This business has now lost a customer and I won't be shy in sharing this! I was quite taken back, shaken and gobsmacked with the response!!
"When you make a request for a bus charter - admittedly last minute, - but my thing is always - if you can, but if not - I totally get it - they have the option of saying no!!
"The audacity to tell me not to go on holiday! These people have no idea how hard I work and how much my family deserve this ... anyways - now, I feel sorry for them - because it will not end here!"
NZCS's national manager Jim Petrie told the Herald the company is investigating the incident.
"It's an internal matter, and we're investigating but we will need some time to investigate it."
"We need to know both sides of the story, but there may be disciplinary action."
He is also said that the employee's actions were not part of the company's view.
