MTA bus driver accused of distracted driving in Queens, doing paperwork with highlighter

RICHMOND HILL (WABC) -- An MTA bus driver has been taken off the road for alleged distracted driving.

The passenger says she pulled out her camera after she was concerned he was getting distracted.

It all happened on a bus ride in Richmond Hill, Queens.

"I've seen more than that, some of them with the cell phones, gloves being put on," said Mike Castillo, a commuter.

A bus driver was driving a bus load of MTA passengers while reading and highlighting paperwork. It was bad enough that one passenger pulled out their cell phone and started rolling.

"It's no good to be with the papers, he's got to pay attention while he's driving bus," said Kabir Ubbi, a commuter.

The person who shot the video doesn't want to be identified out of fear of retaliation.

But they told Eyewitness News that she started recording, because she thought if she said something to the driver, he would just do the same thing again the next day.

Eyewitness News showed the video to other bus commuters.

"I was sitting in the front of the bus on the bus I got off of just now and I was watching him and his eyes were on the road, but that's risky," said Patricia Shaw, a commuter.

The video was recorded on Saturday on an MTA shuttle bus from the A-train at 80th and Liberty to 111th street in Richmond Hills, Queens.

It was a 10 to 12-minute ride, and all the while other passengers got on and off the bus without saying a word.

"If the bus was full I couldn't say anything but, if I was sitting up close to him I would say something like, 'You know you aren't supposed to do that, you could get into an accident,' something like that," Castillo said.

"What would you have said to that bus driver?" Eyewitness News asked.

"I would say, 'Driver you aren't paying attention to the road, you can't be doing that,'" Shaw said.