Uniform Fools Bus Riders

Friday 16th of July 2010 04:53:02 AM

Bus drivers wear uniforms for a lot of reasons. They are comfortable and practical. They also identify the wearer as a bus driver. So it was no surprise when customers catching a Metro bus in Washington, D.C. walked onto the bus and saw a man wearing a standard issue uniform normally worn by city bus drivers.

This uniform had nothing unusual about it. What was unusual was the man wearing it! The driver was not a real bus driver. He was a 19-year old imposter who managed to abscond with a bus just by acting like he was a real bus driver at the bus garage. His impersonation didn’t last long though because he managed to crash the bus a mere 4 miles from the garage.

Why did this young man don the familiar promotional clothing of a bus driver? According to the police, the thief had a fascination with buses. It was that simple. The man who stole the bus, William Jackson, didn’t have any problems getting into the bus garage where he brazenly boarded the bus. The modern buses don’t require a key to start. But being a bus driver takes training and skills as Jackson found out after hitting a tree. When the bus crashed, the passengers fled and Jackson kept right on driving. Someone called the police after the bus crash and the police intercepted the bus. Jackson tried to run but was quickly apprehended.

Though this event ended without anyone getting hurt, it could have ended badly. Driving a bus takes great skill in heavy traffic like that found in the Metro D.C. area. Fortunately this young man was caught before anyone got hurt.