14 DAY TRIAL // A bus driver at Rutgers claims that he has been let go over praying for a disabled student. The LX driver was employed by Rutgers University.
He has put out a YouTube video explaining that the school's decision is motivated by his faith. This would not be the first time when a bus driver is fired for bringing religion on the bus.
"I prayed for the lady, I put my hand on her and I prayed. [...] They said we don’t need your services anymore. They said we don’t do that here," driver Stan McNeil tells NJ.com.
Daily Targum, the campus newspaper, relays a release by John Karakoglou, manager of transit systems for the Rutgers University Department of Transportation Services, in which the company states that the driver has resigned.
"He had some personal things he was dealing with with the bus company. I’m not sure, but I believe he had to resign to take care of other endeavors he wanted to do other things, I’m not sure. We definitely didn’t fire him," they say.
Students have rallied to help the driver, starting a petition for his reinstatement. However, First Transit spokeswoman Stephenie Creech mentioned that the resignation was suggested because proper safety measures were not taken.
CCTV shows that the disabled student’s wheelchair was not strapped in by the driver appropriately. The driver has received previous warnings after similar incidents.
"This case is about safety, which is a core value of First Transit. All of our vehicle operators are instructed, 'If it can’t be done safely, don’t do it.'
"Unfortunately, a full internal review revealed that Mr. McNeil had failed to follow a critical safety protocol that was cause for immediate termination. When advised of his violation, Mr. McNeil chose to resign," she says.
