WINNIPEG — A Winnipeg school bus driver who allegedly urinated out of the side of the bus during his morning route, has quit his job.
The company the driver worked for, First Student Canada, told Global News that he “left on his own accord.”
This comes a day after a Winnipeg woman, who requested anonymity, said she made several complaints to the company after witnessing the bus driver urinating on the boulevard in Transcona.
However, on Tuesday morning the witness told Global News she noticed there is now a new bus driver on the route.
She said her heart is heavy with the news the driver is gone, as said she never wanted anyone to be out of work.
“This was never my intention, I just wanted the act to stop,” she said. “This could have perhaps been dealt with more peacefully if the company had taken my first phone call on Jan. 4, seriously.”
The woman said when she first witnessed the urination at the beginning of January, she excused the behaviour, stating “we’re all human and nature calls.” But as soon as it became a habit, the woman said it was unacceptable and she made a complaint to First Student Canada.
“I found this very disturbing, so I noted the bus number and the company the bus driver worked for,” she said. She phoned the office, and the woman who answered the phone told her it was “inexcusable behaviour”.
After the phone call was made, the woman said the public urination continued. She phoned again to the company allegedly involved.
WATCH: Transcona area resident records a bus driver allegedly urinating off of school bus
“Obviously the driver had not been spoken to,” she said. “There are far too many kids in the neighborhood, and for someone who has an occupation like this, I don’t think that it’s necessary behaviour.”
The witness said the driver did not make any attempt to hide the public urination. Although there were no kids were on the bus at the time, she said her children saw the acts.
On Monday afternoon, First Student Canada contacted the woman and Global News. It’s senior area general manager for Western Canada said they are investigating.
“Obviously we don’t condone this type of behavior,” senior area manager Brett Harris told Global News. “We will take swift and immediate action if it’s found to be one of our drivers.”
First Student Canada said the driver in question has made a personal choice to leave his position and was not fired.