Using public transportation isn’t always fun, but for those with disabilities, it presents special challenges.
Passengers in wheelchairs often find cars blocking bus stops, taking up the room they need to get on. Then the bus driver isn’t sure how to use the wheelchair lift, and as soon as they finally make it through, people refuse to move out of the priority seating section.
It seems a lot of the world has grown inconsiderate towards people with special needs— but one Paris bus driver is going viral for the way he put his passengers in their place. Last month, on October 18th, French resident François Le Berre was attempting to catch a bus from a bus stop in Paris’s 17th district.
When the bus finally arrived, and Le Berre attempted to board, no one would make room for him.
The man waited for someone to move, but after seeing no change, he considered waiting for the next bus on the route. Luckily, however, the bus driver, noticing the passengers’ actions, put them in their place. In a Facebook post, Le Berre wrote:
“Yesterday, waiting for the bus in Paris, I laughed, because no one wanted to (make room). As nobody moved the driver said, ‘Terminus! Everybody [off]!’ After the driver came to me, he said, ‘you and your help you can ride and the others, you wait for the next!'”
The bus driver made every rude passenger get off the bus. He then invited Le Berre on board and told the other passengers they could wait for the next bus.
As you can imagine, the other passengers were a bit annoyed, but the driver’s actions warmed Le Berre’s heart. Since sharing the story on Facebook, his post has been spreading like wildfire.
People worldwide are praising the bus driver while wishing Le Berre well. They even urge French President Emmanuel Macron to honor the bus employee.
After the incident, a spokesperson from RATP, the public transit system operator, reached out to the public, saying they wanted to recognize the driver for his actions. Although some people thought RATP’s announcement was a ploy to locate and fire the driver, the agency responded on Twitter, stating: “An agent does not get fired when acting on behalf of travelers.”
Earlier this year, another bus driver went viral for an unexpected, compassionate deed.
Gene Hubbard, a blind man from Milwaukee, had been traveling the same bus route for 20 years. In July, however, a construction company set up construction barrels, forcing him to readjust his route. That’s when somebody captured a photo of driver Thad Turner helping Hubbard to cross the street. The photo was later sent to Fox6 News and quickly went viral.
Although Turner’s deed was remarkable, Hubbard says this isn’t the first time he’s received help. In an interview with Fox6 News, he said:
I just can’t say enough about all the bus drivers.”
Hear Hubbard’s story below!
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