Mother of disabled child frustrated with Pant after son left stranded in Reykjavik

A mother of a disabled child is expressing her frustration with the transportation service Pant after her son was left vulnerable and stranded. The incident, which occurred when her son John was supposed to be picked up from school, has led her to stop using the service altogether.

Evelyn Rodriguez’s son was not returned home on February 22 after being collected by a driver from Hreyfill, a partner of Pant. When Evelyn attempted to contact Pant for answers, she received no response until a staff member from a nearby sports facility informed her that John was there, in an embarrassing and helpless state.

The Quality and Supervision Agency for Welfare Services concluded its investigation in late August. They determined that while the situation was serious and unexpected, it stemmed from human error rather than operational failures at Pant. The agency noted that the driver’s personal circumstances may have contributed to the incident but did not hold Pant accountable.

Feeling disappointed by the outcome, Evelyn criticized the company for not taking responsibility. She highlighted the importance of management accountability, stating, “It is the responsibility of the management to ensure that competent individuals are in charge of transporting vulnerable passengers.”

Following the incident, the driver involved ceased operating for Pant. Evelyn now personally drives her son to school and activities, expressing distrust in the transportation service. “I just don’t trust them anymore,” she remarked. She emphasized that no one has taken accountability for what happened, leaving her frustrated and disillusioned with the response from Pant.