Megabus Nearly Crash As Driver Forgot Her Meds
A looming Megabus accident was prevented as a one of its passenger steered the bus to safety as its driver fell ill while on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
On August 27, around 6 p.m., the Megabus was near Bedford exit as it was traveling from Philadelphia to Pittsburg. Passengers told reporters that two semi trucks who they think have noticed that the bus was winding, blocked it from getting off the road until one of the bus passenger’s gained control of the vehicle.
That passenger was later identified as James Grantz, a Pittsburg pastor. Accordingly, as the passengers felt that the bus was winding, Grantz told the driver to pullover. However, the driver did not respond. This prompted Grantz to lean on the driver and grabbed the wheel. Another passenger recounted that Grantz jumped on the driver and started steering the bus while other passengers pulled the driver out from her seat. After regaining consciousness, the driver mentioned about her blood-pressure medicine.
Grantz disclosed that the driver told him that she needed to change her eyeglasses and that she had forgotten her blood-pressure medicine.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Megabus disclosed that a review of a video did not show evidence that the semis have touched the bus. Megabus also said that they are “extremely grateful” for the help of one of the passengers, though they insisted that the video also showed that the driver remained conscious throughout the event even with both her hands on the steering wheel.
Megabus also said that before the said trip, supervisors have observed that the driver did not seem to be “unwell” and that she was medically qualified to drive.
However, days after the incident, it was later learned that the driver whom Megabus did not identify is not anymore employed with the company.