PETERSBURG, Va -- A part-time school bus driver is no longer behind the wheel after he was caught on camera speeding through the city, according to Petersburg School officials. Petersburg School Bus 84 was caught on camera being driven at speeds exceeding 60 mph.
Steve Spease, who works in the Tri-Cities, captured the bus on video recently. He contacted the CBS 6 Problem Solvers, hoping to bring attention to what he called a blatant disregard for precious cargo.
"This bus driver going down East Washington driving erratically, recklessly,” said Spease. “You can see the 25- and 35-mile per hour speed zones and he's going 60 and 65 according to my speedometer. With the kids and how young they look on that bus. It just puts things in a whole different perspective."
Other parents agreed, saying the video is hard to watch without getting angry.
"If people are not shocked or a little concerned,” said Charles Porter, whose child attends a Petersburg school. “They need to be. That's their precious cargo stepping on the bus and it's the drivers responsibility to get them to school safely."
CBS 6 provided Petersburg schools with the video.
“Student safety is a priority for Petersburg City Public Schools. The driver in the video was a part-time, temporary driver who no longer works for Petersburg City Public Schools," Petersburg Schools spokeswoman Leigh Ann McKelway wrote in a statement. "We encourage anyone who has questions or concerns about school transportation to contact us directly.”
Spease tried to get his own answer from the driver, who looked at him, but then drove off.
"Maybe he didn't hear me, but he knew I was recording because he saw my phone,” said Spease. “He basically didn't care. He brushed me off."
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