The actions of a Hamilton bus driver are earning praise on social media after images of the good deed were posted online by a passenger.
Ellaraye Tobias says she was riding the 21 Upper Kenilworth bus around 10:40 a.m. Sunday when the driver suddenly pulled over. “I thought he was just pulling over to save some time because we were early or something but then I saw him come around the back,” she said.
The 17 year old watched as HSR driver Brad Benson escorted a woman with special needs across the street and guided her to a nearby baseball diamond. Tobias snapped photos of the interaction and posted them on Twitter while she sat waiting on the bus.
“I take the bus a lot and it’s nice to see bus drivers go the extra step and ensure people are safe,” she said.
Tobias says Benson came back on and told everyone he wanted to wait another moment to make sure the woman arrived safely at the diamond. “He cared about her well-being and wanted to make sure that things were okay with her,” Tobias added.
The photos have caught the attention of hundreds online including HSR Manager of Operations, Mark Williams. “It makes me feel extremely proud. I’m not entirely surprised but it’s so great to see,” he said.
Williams presented Benson with a commendation for his work Monday morning. “So many of them do great things every day. It’s nice to see them get recognized not only by us internally but by the public,” said Williams.
(HSR bus driver Brad Benson (right) is pictured with Mark Williams, HSR Manager of Operations)
Benson had no idea the interaction had been captured on camera or that he had become an internet sensation until a friend called. “I was like, I couldn’t believe it,” said Benson. His daughter pulled the story up on Facebook so he could see the reactions online.
Benson told CHCH News that the woman in the photos had boarded the bus and handed him a piece of paper. She had limited speech and the note had directions of where she needed to go. Once they arrived at the destination on the note, Benson says he explained the situation to the other passengers, secured the bus, and hopped off. He walked the woman across the street and told her where to go to catch the bus home.
The photos have been widely shared on Facebook and Twitter with many users thanking Tobias for posting the images.
“To see a small thing touch so many hearts — it was so nice,” she added.
this bus driver walked this girl to the baseball field and didn’t leave until she got to the field safe and sound ❤️😭 #HamOnt pic.twitter.com/B6Fc61FiOe
— ellaraye (@idkellaraye) July 9, 2017
