A man took a joyride on a Hamilton city bus Tuesday evening while there were still passengers on board, according to authorities.
Around 9 p.m., a bus driver parked at the MacNab Bus Terminal in downtown Hamilton and stepped away for a brief break, as reported by Hamilton police in a statement released on Wednesday.
A 36-year-old man without a permanent address got onto the bus, occupied the driver’s seat, and drove off towards the Mountain.
The bus was an extra-long “articulated” type, which features a flexible connector linking the two sections, explained police spokesperson Trevor McKenna during an interview.
Throughout the journey, the man made multiple stops, allowing passengers to board and alight at designated bus stops. At any given time, there were about ten passengers on the bus, noted McKenna.
“There wasn’t a single dent on the bus. He did a remarkable job,” McKenna remarked. “It’s humorous, but it’s also serious. We’re grateful that no one was injured.”
Transit director Nancy Purser stated that the city is collaborating with law enforcement to explore potential changes to avoid similar occurrences in the future.
The union that represents the drivers did not provide a response to a request for comments.
Passenger provided directions: police
Initially, passengers were unaware that the man was not a legitimate bus driver, McKenna mentioned. However, as he began to make incorrect turns, they started questioning him, and one passenger even gave him directions to get back on track.
“He even went so far as to refuse entry to someone attempting to board with an expired bus pass,” police stated in their news release.
The bus was taken from the MacNab Bus Terminal, according to police. (Bobby Hristova/CBC)
Police followed the bus “strategically,” being cautious of the possible risks to public safety, they stated.
Officers collaborated with Hamilton Street Railway and utilized the bus’s GPS to track its location, McKenna explained. They kept their sirens off.
“We didn’t want to alarm him,” he said. “We aimed to prevent this from becoming a tragic situation.”
When the bus came to a halt on West 5th Street approximately 15 minutes later, the man was taken into custody without any issues.
He faces charges including theft over $5,000, possession over $5,000, obstructing police, and driving while prohibited.
McKenna mentioned that they did not disclose the man’s identity due to potential “mental health considerations.”