Two quick-thinking passengers on a Colorado Transit bus stopped what could have turned into a tragic incident when the driver fell from his seat while the vehicle was moving, authorities said.
The driver of a Mountain Metropolitan Transit (MMT) bus in Colorado Springs experienced a medical emergency around 7:45 a.m. on October 14, the agency told Fox News Digital.
Before the driver fell from his seat, a passenger saw his “dilemma” and walked to the front of the bus, officials said.
Another ran to the back of the bus and took control of the wheel before bringing it to a safe stop and contacting a dispatcher via bus radio.
“Despite the efforts of emergency responders, the driver died,” the agency said.
There were only three passengers in the bus at the time of the incident.
Video footage from inside the bus shows two passengers running forward as the driver falls from his seat.
A man is seen holding a cup of coffee and can be heard asking the invisible driver, “Are you okay?”
Another is heard radioing a dispatcher to report an emergency while the vehicle is stopped at a bus stop.
Another passenger said, “Dispatch, I’m number 1 southbound.” “Your bus driver is having a stroke. I’m just parking.”
“He’s breathing, but the seizures seem to have stopped,” she said as the bus stopped.
MMT spokesperson Ellen Sheridan told Fox News Digital that the agency has the name of the second passenger who jumped into the driver’s seat, but has not been able to reach him for permission to reveal his identity.
The other passenger left the scene before first responders arrived because he had to go to work, he said.
“We have publicly requested that these passengers contact us as we would like to provide them with passes as a token of our appreciation for their assistance that morning,” Sheridan said.
They said the driver’s name could not be released due to HIPAA regulations and his family requested privacy.
All drivers for MMT buses work for Transdev, a contractor that provides operators for the transit agency.
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