The Local newsletter is your free, daily guide to life in Colorado. For locals, by locals. Sign up today!
At this point, we’ve lost count of the errors and accidents committed by drivers behind the wheel of Regional Transportation District buses. There was the series of major accidents back in April that led to several deaths and severe injuries. In June, a cyclist was struck by a bus on the 16th Street Mall.
While we could recall a few others, for now let’s focus on an incident that occurred yesterday morning, when an RTD bus driver bypassed warning signs and drove in the wrong direction on I-25 high-occupancy vehicle, or HOV, lanes, spawning an RTD investigation (via The Denver Post). No injuries were reported, but the mistake could have been disastrous.
The driver was stopped only after the driver of another bus headed in the right direction reported the errant vehicle to dispatchers. They, in turn, ordered the bus to pull over near the East 70th Avenue exit, about six miles from Union Station, where it had begun its journey.
The unnamed driver has been suspended, says RTD spokesman Scott Reed, adding, “We’re interviewing the bus driver to find out how he missed so many warnings and see if there’s more we can do to keep it from happening again.”
Meanwhile, if you’re looking to hone your own driving skills—watching out for, say, wayward buses—put down the phone and stop texting while you drive. It can cost you critical seconds in reacting to a dangerous situation, warns 9News.