BUS LANE, IPSWICH –  Jonathan Crankshaft, a bus driver with Ipswich Buses, is making headlines with a unique solution to his early onset dementia-related forgetfulness. Bosses at Ipswich Buses have devised a special digital display to aid Crankshaft whenever he loses track of his route.

By Our Norfolk Reporter: Ian Bred

The innovation? A conspicuous button marked with a question mark on Crankshaft’s dashboard. When pressed, it instantly populates the display on the front of his bus with the urgent message: “Help I’m lost.”

Route doesn’t ring a bell

Crankshaft, speaking to the SUFFOLK GAZETTE, shared insights into the effectiveness of this new feature. “I’ve only had to use the emergency messaging facility twice since it was installed last week,” he disclosed. The first instance, he admitted, was due to his own forgetfulness about the purpose of the question mark button.

“The second time,” Crankshaft recounted with a wry grin, “was when a passenger asked me to help lift a buggy onto the bus… I couldn’t be arsed to do the heavy lifting, so I just pressed the button.”

His casual attitude toward utilizing the emergency message feature left this reporter incredulous, yet Crankshaft remains appreciative of the support provided by his employers. “It’s a relief to know I have this option,” he confessed. “It’s all about making sure I can still do my job and… erm… sorry, err? what were we talking about?”

The initiative by Ipswich Buses highlights a compassionate approach to accommodating employees with cognitive challenges while ensuring passenger safety and service continuity.

As Crankshaft continues his route, passengers can rest assured that even if he occasionally loses his bearings, help is just a button press away.

Meanwhile: New Norwich City team bus revealed