This is a TNB Public Service Announcement. Don’t rely on Milwaukee bus drivers for child care.
We at TNB were not aware this message needed to be provided. We were wrong. Please, Milwaukee, stop proving that we were wrong.
A few days ago, a six-year old child wandered away from his school. The child has been reported as mentally disabled, and does not react well to changes in routine. At the school that day, his class had a substitute teacher and the child took advantage of recess to slip out of the gates… and into traffic.
A passing bus driver saw the child – too short to be easily seen over nearby cars – meandering across the blacktop. She stopped her bus and went to help the boy.
This is a pleasant story with a happy ending. One would also think that it’s exceedingly rare.
In January, however, a bus driver in Milwaukee stopped at an overpass to save a toddler wandering by the side of the road. The child was less than two years old, out in the early hours of the morning in freezing temperatures.
The child’s mother had left the child outside while suffering from what the police termed a “mental health issue”. The child was returned to a very grateful father.
Two child rescues in a year is stretching credulity. So how about three times?
Diana Serrano is, yes, a Milwaukee bus driver. Last August she was – for the first time, not the first on the scene, but the second. A two year old girl had slipped out of her house while her parents were asleep and started walking around… and then into the street. A passing motorist saw the girl and stopped to help, then walked over to the bus, also stopping. He explained that he couldn’t afford to be late to work, and handed the little girl off to the bus driver before leaving. The driver called the police, who quickly reunited the toddler with her relieved parents.
If you live in Milwaukee, or even if you happen to be travelling through the city, please remember… don’t rely on Milwaukee bus drivers for child care. Although, admittedly, they tend to be fairly good at it.
Question of the night: Have you had any interesting experiences on public transit systems?
