Passenger Commandeers Ontario Bus for Joyride, Evades Police

On the evening of November 13th, 2025, a highly unusual incident occurred on the streets of Ontario, Canada. A member of the public, whose identity has not been disclosed, took control of a local transit bus after the real driver had pulled into a terminal for a break.

With approximately 10 passengers still on board, the unauthorized driver proceeded to navigate the bus along its regular route, making multiple stops to allow passengers to enter and exit. Remarkably, the suspect even carefully denied entry to a passenger who attempted to board with an expired bus pass.

Hamilton police were quickly alerted to the situation and followed the bus, but they intentionally kept their sirens off, as they did not want to "spook" the driver and potentially escalate the incident. Instead, they worked with the Hamilton Street Railway to access the bus's GPS and monitor the situation.

After about 15 minutes, the police were able to safely stop the bus and take the suspect into custody without any incident or injuries. The man, who has no fixed address, has been charged with theft, possession over $5,000, obstructing police, and driving while prohibited. He is set to appear in court to answer these charges.

"It's comical but at the same time it's serious. We're thankful nobody was hurt," said Hamilton police spokesperson Trevor McKenna, reflecting on the bizarre turn of events.