Police said a 36-year-old man got behind the wheel of an idling bus and drove away on a “joy ride”, letting passengers on and off, telling them he was “cash only” at bus stops
A joyrider has been arrested after stealing a bus with passengers onboard – and driving them safely to their stops. The unnamed man, 36, picked up passengers and even stopped one would-be traveller from getting on because their bus pass was expired.
He hopped in the driver’s seat after he parked up for a short break, then made off in the bendy bus from MacNab Bus Terminal in Hamilton, Canada, with around 10 passengers on board, who he allowed to get on and off at their stops for around 15 minutes.
Police spokesperson Trevor McKenna said: “There was not a ding on the bus. He did a great job. It’s comical but at the same time it’s serious. We’re thankful nobody was hurt.”
The man, of no fixed address, boarded the bus at around 9am after the driver popped out for a short break. He sat down in his chair and acted as a makeshift bus driver.
At first, passengers didn’t realize the man wasn’t a bus driver, police said. But when he started making some wrong turns, they started asking him questions and one even gave him directions to return to the scheduled route.
Hamilton Police said its officers “strategically” followed the bus using its GPS tracking system and kept their sirens off, “mindful of the potential risk to public safety”. Mr McKenna said: “We didn’t want to spook him. We didn’t want to make this a tragedy.”
When it stopped on West 5th Street, about 15 minutes later, the man was taken into custody without incident. He was charged with theft over $5,000, possession over $5,000, obstructing police and driving while prohibited.
Mr McKenna said police have not released the man’s name because there may be “a mental health component”.
Transit union president Eric Tuck told The Star it is policy for drivers in Hamilton to secure their bus at a station before going to use the washroom or grab a cup of coffee. Securing a bus involves more than just putting it in park, he added.
There are always lots of people waiting to get on and off at the busy downtown bus terminal, so buses can be left running with the heat on and it is common for people to get on and off the bus while the driver takes a quick break, he added.
He said: “For someone to actually drive that vehicle, based on the reports of how it was driven, this person has to have knowledge and experience.”
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