Transportation Minister Mary Polak is talking tough as B.C.’s party-bus operators are being summoned to a Thursday meeting.
Polak said the summit will stress that alcohol is a no-go, just five weeks after 16-year-old Ernest Azoadam died at a party-bus stop in Surrey.
“It is important to emphasize that in B.C. it is illegal to consume liquor in any public place, including a commercial vehicle,” Polak said in a statement. “I want to make it very clear that I am willing to suspend the licences of companies that break the law.
“As a mother, and as Minister of Transportation, I will not tolerate unsafe practices that put our young people at risk.”
Azoadam collapsed during a party-bus stop in Surrey and could not be revived. The young teen’s death brought immediate scrutiny to the party-bus industry — and an order from Polak that “Lower Mainland companies that provide charter bus or limousine excursions must attend a meeting with the Director and Registrar of the Passenger Transportation Branch.”
Polak said party-bus operators must realize that on-board alcohol will potentially result in operators losing their licence.
“I take this matter of party buses very seriously,” said the minister. “My staff are meeting with companies that operate party buses on March 21 to make sure they understand their responsibilities and obligations.
“Quite simply, failure to comply will result in the suspension of their license.”
Tommy Cuscito, president of Vancouver Party Bus and Limousine, predicted a spike in drunk-driving charges if adults are forbidden from drinking aboard party buses.
“A lot of these people want to be driven to and from,” said Cuscito. “People still want to go out and have fun. You’ll see a spike in drunk driving.”
Cuscito, however, backs a ban on underage drinking.
“I support 100 per cent that underagers should have zero tolerance. But if they want 100-per-cent compliance for adults, I’m going to have to put extra staff on.”
Will Douglas, owner of Party Gras Enterprises, said the bad publicity is hurting his bottom line.
“I’m just trying to raise a family – we’re a small company,” said Douglas. “We do our best to search these people.
“We have the right to refuse service, but we don’t have the right to search people.
“Our industry has gotten a bad rap.”
Douglas said party buses must abide by three sets of rules and regulations – the Passenger Transportation Act and the Motor Vehicle Act as well as alcohol regulations.
One party-bus operator, speaking on condition of anonymity, said keeping an entire evening alcohol-free is virtually impossible, as multiple stops are made during an party-bus tour.
“I can see what they’re trying to do – I’m sure you can probably get 90 per cent of the alcohol,” said the operator. “But you’d have to search 12 or 15 people 12 times a night.
“Are you going to put somebody out of business because someone slipped a mickey up their sleeve?”
The party-bus operator said a routine stop in Stanley Park turned up bottle of Sangria with one inch of liquor in the bottom – clearly smuggled onto the bus.
“If I’d know it was there, I had plenty of time to remove it,” said the operator.
Polak said party-bus operators will be told exactly where they stand legally.
“The meeting will re-emphasize the companies’ legal accountabilities under the Liquor Control and Licensing Act, as well as the Passenger Transportation Act, and the seriousness of non-compliance.”
Azoadam’s untimely death remains a mystery, as coroners await more toxicology and autopsy testing to determine why the 16-year-old died.
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