Driver Fired for Allegedly Hugging Rider

Metro has fired a bus driver who allegedly refused to let a female passenger off at her stop, drove off his normal route and then hugged her against her will, according to a Metro spokeswoman.

The trouble took place shortly after noon April 11 on the Y8 route between the Silver Spring Metro station and Montgomery General Hospital in Olney, Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said.

The driver was finishing his route and was supposed to be returning to the Montgomery Garage in Rockville, Farbstein said.

"Instead of letting her off at her stop, he allegedly drove the bus somewhere else, off the route, and then allegedly hugged her against her will," Farbstein said. The driver subsequently took the woman back to her stop and dropped her off, she said. No injuries were reported.

Metro declined to identify the driver or the woman, an 18-year-old Montgomery County resident.

Farbstein said the woman's stop "was one of the last ones" on the route, which terminated at Montgomery General Hospital, but had no additional details. The driver was fired Tuesday. He had been driving for Metrobus since July 2000 and had been on administrative leave with pay while Metro investigated the incident.

The bus was not equipped with a camera. No charges were brought by Metro Transit Police, she said.

"This is the first time I'm aware of any hugging incident of this kind, and I've been here for six years," Farbstein said.