Passenger steers Mountain Metro bus to safety after driver experiences medical emergency
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The Mountain Metropolitan Transit (MMT) team is mourning the loss of one of its own after a driver experienced a medical emergency on Monday.
According to MMT, at around 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 14, a bus driver on Route 1 who has not yet been publicly identified suffered a medical emergency while operating a bus.
A passenger on board saw this happening and took control of the wheel, stopping the bus safely near Academy Avenue and Astrozon Boulevard.
Despite the efforts of emergency responders, the driver passed away, MMT said. No passengers were injured in the incident.
The medical emergency comes just two days after another MMT bus driver was hospitalized following a collision with another vehicle at an intersection on Austin Bluffs Parkway on Oct. 12. That bus driver received medical treatment and has since been released from the hospital, MMT said.
On Monday, MMT took to social media to ask the community to keep its drivers in their thoughts and to share the potential for service disruptions as the community grieves.
"These events have had a significant emotional impact on our driver community," the post read in part. "As a result, there may be some disruptions to service while our drivers process these experiences. We kindly ask for your understanding and compassion during this challenging period."
