Bus Driver Who Let Passenger Take Over Is Fired

The Orange County Transit District on Friday fired a bus driver who last month allowed a passenger to drive his bus through Anaheim, an agency spokeswoman said.

“It was kind of a combination of things with the incident that happened--his leaving the bus and the problems he had with the passenger,” district spokeswoman Claudia Keith said Friday.

The bus driver, Kim Miller, 36, can appeal the decision, Keith said.

The incident began Oct. 22 when Miller allegedly yelled a racial slur at a Latino passenger who did not put enough money in the fare box, according to Anaheim police. A regular bus passenger, James Biddle, stood up and asked Miller why he was being rude.

According to witness statements to police, Miller told Biddle: “If you don’t like it, you can drive it.”

Biddle then climbed into the driver’s seat, leaving Miller on the sidewalk. Biddle had stopped several times to pick up and drop off passengers before police pulled the bus over. Biddle was cited for joy-riding and driving without a bus license.

Keith said that Miller attended a hearing Friday with representatives from his union and from the OCTD. She said OCTD officials decided to fire Miller after interviewing him and passengers from his bus route.