Greyhound passengers call cops after driver takes off
DENVER -- A Greyhound bus bound for Denver made a stop at a motel in Kansas so the driver could rest. The catch: The passengers on board said they had no idea where he was going or for how long, CBS Denver station KCNC-TV reports.
Dozens of passengers were left stranded on the bus for hours outside the La Quinta motel in Salina, Kansas.
The bus pulled into the motel late Tuesday afternoon. According to the passengers, the driver got off without telling anyone where he was going.
Passengers initially thought it was going to be a quick stop, but when the driver didn't come back, they called the bus company and police.
"We haven't seen the driver," said one passenger. "We're sitting here, we're sitting here. I had to crank the bus up, keep it running because we have newborns and children. It was getting cold."
On Thursday, Greyhound said in a statement that the driver told passengers there would be a break and a new driver would complete the trip the Denver.
Greyhound said the new driver didn't get to the bus on time because he had to finish his mandatory rest hours. The company said the new driver ended his previous shift late, which caused the delay.
The bus' scheduled arrival time in Salina was 4:20 p.m. with a 25-minute break for the drivers to change places, Greyhound said. On Tuesday, the original bus driver was told around 6 p.m. to wait with the passengers for the new driver. The bus departed for Denver with the new driver at 8 p.m.
"We are extremely sorry for the customers' experience," Greyhound said in the statement. "We strive to provide an excellent travel experience for customers. However, we occasionally encounter situations that are beyond our control, and in those instances, we do the best we can to keep customers comfortable and informed until the issue is resolved."