A Canadian man has been arrested after stealing a public transit bus and continuing the driver’s route as if nothing was wrong, even refusing to let someone board with an expired pass.
Hamilton Police say the unusual incident unfolded on November 11 around 9pm, when a man allegedly climbed into an unattended HSR bus at the McNab Bus Terminal while the real driver was on break. Instead of taking off recklessly, the suspect began driving the bus up the Hamilton Mountain, making routine stops with riders still on board, turning his trip into a real bus simulator.
According to police, the 36-year-old man, who has no fixed address, allowed passengers to board and exit “freely” and even enforced fare rules. “He even went as far as to deny someone looking to board with an expired Bus Pass,” officers said.
HSR passengers had no idea anything was amiss at first. Police spokesperson Trevor McKenna explained that the man drove smoothly, obeyed the route, and carried roughly 10 riders at any given moment.
“There was not a ding on the bus. He did a great job,” McKenna told the state broadcaster. “It’s comical but at the same time it’s serious. We’re thankful nobody was hurt.”
Man charged after stealing bus and doing driver’s job for him
Passengers only began questioning the situation when the driver started making wrong turns. One rider reportedly stepped in to give directions to get the route back on track.
Police quietly tailed the bus using GPS data from Hamilton Street Railway, keeping sirens off to avoid startling the suspect. “We didn’t want to spook him. We didn’t want to make this a tragedy,” McKenna added.
About 15 minutes after the ride began, officers intercepted the bus on West 5th Street and arrested the man without incident.
He now faces charges including theft over $5,000, possession over $5,000, obstructing police, and driving while prohibited.
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