September 7th, 2011
04:05 PM ET

Mystery video of D.C. bus driver and passenger sparks inquiry

A video uploaded to YouTube appears to show a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority bus driver aggressively wrestling a would-be passenger away from the bus door and out of it onto the ground.

A spokesman with the Metro Transit Authority confirms to CNN that it is investigating the video. Spokesman Steven Taubenkibel said that investigators don't believe the video was staged.

Local TV news stations began showing the video on Tuesday. "We don't know when this occurred, we don't know the date, the time, bus number and bus route and it's all part of our follow up," said Taubenkibel.

"We would like to talk with the person who filmed the video," he said. "It does appear to be one of our drivers."

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Filed under: District of Columbia
soundoff (34 Responses)
  1. f

    Wow, some obviously drugged/drunk guy did some BS on the bus and got kicked off by force. I have no problem with the actions of the driver. We need more of this in our country, not the coddling that everyone expects. If you give respect, you are allowed to receive respect... otherwise I'm kicking your ass.

    September 9, 2011 at 4:52 pm | Report abuse |
    • yah

      plain wrong, he can not act as the police... the driver should be jailed for this, ad the guy should come forward and press charges against everyone (city, driver, and transit athority) this is a shame and wrong, kick him off if he doesnt get off call the dam cops, there is no telling what happend to that guy when he hit the ground... if you cheer or accept this then something is wrong with you PERIOD!!!!!

      September 11, 2011 at 6:40 am | Report abuse |
  2. Linda

    Bus riders depend on the driver to keep order and on schedule which is really asking too much a lot of the time in DC. Riders should help out instead of just videotaping and getting workers in trouble. Hire more workers to help with problems. Calling the police delays everyone and the drivers have a lot to balance out.

    September 10, 2011 at 6:51 pm | Report abuse |
  3. oh please

    thats what cops and law enforcement EXIST FOR
    you are NEVER to become a vigilante and take matters in to your own hands, THAT is against the law......period

    September 16, 2011 at 7:13 pm | Report abuse |
    • Paul

      If I were being assaulted or say my children is that a time to wait for the police because that's what they're are for?

      My point is we have no idea what the context of this is. The person could be a threat to the safety of the riders on the bus then the driver acted correctly however if the passenger is in no way a threat the he definitely over-reacted. There's a time to meet agressiveness with agressiveness, and a time to call for help.

      You just can't make a judgement call on the limited info we see here (I wanna add a "PERIOD" here for ya's comment above as well).

      September 16, 2011 at 9:19 pm | Report abuse |
  4. WE DONT KNOW

    WE DONT KNOW WHY HE DID THIS SO QUIT TAKING SIDES YOU WIENERS! FOR ALL WE KNOW HE COULD OF BEEN AN ANGRY DRIVER WHOS HAVING A BAD DAY OR THE DUDE COULD OF TOUCHED HIM, THREATENED, COULD OF DRUGGED UP, OR MAYBE HE HAD NO MONEY FOR THE BUS FAIR. BAHH ITS ALL SPECULATIONS. WE JUST DONT KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

    September 19, 2011 at 9:11 am | Report abuse |
  5. scotonfire

    If a bus driver has to call the police every time they have a problem with a rider the system just couldn't function the way it should. The driver has to make a judgement call. Perhaps in his frustration he went overboard this time. If it had been a less powerful driver they would've had to call police 'cause the guy had a death grip on that bar. At the end of the day I have to commend transit workers for the job they do.

    September 19, 2011 at 2:55 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Pa-leez

    Don't forget folks,
    WHEN SECONDS COUNT, THE POLICE ARE ONLY MINUTES AWAY!
    Drivers dont just randomly throw people off the bus. I'm giving the driver the benefit of the doubt. I think the driver was acting with the safety of his passengers in mind.

    September 20, 2011 at 1:30 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Robert

    I would like to do the same to all the drivers who drive airtight buses with no air circulating. The driver has his window open and he can breath fresh air, but everyone's got to breath everyone else crap and sweat.

    September 21, 2011 at 8:33 am | Report abuse |
  8. LEARN ENGLISH!

    He should be kicked off of the bus because he didn't know english.
    "I aint done nothing to nobody or nothing."

    September 21, 2011 at 7:14 pm | Report abuse |
  9. michael

    the driver was within his right to kick off a drunk or drugged passenger before he got too far on board YOU CANT REASON WITH A DRUNK and makes it very uncomfortable for the other passengers
    Personally I might have done more than just push him off And For the Whiner who said we just dont know stop whinging
    Hats off to the driver

    September 29, 2011 at 5:31 pm | Report abuse |
  10. hilarious

    You people are hilarious.... but in all seriousness, why do u care? You guys are all angry.

    October 5, 2011 at 1:34 am | Report abuse |
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