19 Year old Steals WMTA Bus/Runs Route

[Guest]

Interesting trainorders post re: Washington,DC. A 19 year old man dressed in a bus driver uniform entered the bus yard, drove off in a bus to Anacosta and started the route picking up several passengers as he drove. Eventually he hit a tree, let the passengers off, then drove off with the police in pursuit. He stopped and ran but was aprehended several blocks away! One of the pax was quoted as saying she thought he was a trainee! He was charged with unlawfully taking a vehicle and police are wondering how he got the uniform and was able to drive the bus off without being stopped? :excl:

Wonder if any aspiring engineers could pull this off on the Red Line? :lol: Great security @ the bus yards, wonder if the subway cars get the same watchful treatment? :lol:

 

[AlanB]

Don't know for sure if it could happen to the DC Metro, but it has happened here in NY City where someone drove off with a subway train, so I'd say that anything is possible.

 

[MikefromCrete]

It's not transit related, but last year a teenager, wearing a Chicago police uniform, walked into a police station and worked an entire shift (with a real police officer as a partner) and wasn't stopped until the end of the shift At least these kids are showing some kind of misguided initiative

 

[Ryan]

I hear that the union is going to defend the kid and he'll be back out on the road shortly.

Ok, I'm kidding about that (I hope!), but given this I wouldn't be surprised:

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Two-bus-drivers-fired-for-misconduct-return-to-Metro-95909919.html

My favorite part of that whole episode is that when someone expressed dismay that a driver involved in a fatal accident and one convicted of assault would be allowed back on the job, the union president replied "Apparently you believe in slavery"

http://unsuckdcmetro.blogspot.com/2010/06/union-boss-allegedly-plays-slavery-card.html