A school bus driver was removed from a Massachusetts school district’s routes after reportedly throwing several empty liquor bottles from a bus window while transporting students Tuesday morning, reported Coastal ABC News.
Somerset Berkley Regional High School officials informed families that a motorist traveling behind the school bus saw several empty miniature liquor bottles, commonly known as “nips,” being thrown from a window during the morning pickup route. The witness reported the incident to the Somerset Police Department.
Police officers located and stopped the bus. The driver admitted discarding the bottles and cooperated with the ensuing investigation.
Authorities determined that the bottles belonged to the busdriver but had not been consumed Tuesday morning. Officials also said the driver was not impaired.
“SPD engaged with the driver, who cooperated with the investigation, and it was determined that the bottles were in her possession, but they were not consumed this morning, and she was not impaired in any way,” school officials stated via the article.
Fisher Bus, the district’s transportation contractor, dispatched a replacement bus following the police response. The 14 students on board the original bus were transferred and transported safely to Somerset Berkley Regional High School. No injuries were reported.
The school subsequently asked Fisher Bus not to assign the driver to any of the district’s transportation routes. Officials did not identify the driver or indicate whether she could face criminal charges or disciplinary action from the bus company.
“The presence of alcohol containers on a school bus, by anyone, is unacceptable,” the school stated via the news report. “Our students and families must have complete confidence in the people responsible for transporting them, and we take this matter very seriously.”
School officials also thanked the motorist who contacted authorities and the officers who responded. “We are grateful to the attentive community member who reported what they saw and to the Somerset Police Department for their swift response,” the district reportedly stated.
Additional information about the origin of the bottles and how long they had been aboard the bus was not immediately available.
Written with the assistance of AI.
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