ATLANTA — A man claimed a MARTA bus driver held his disabled mother hostage for more than an hour because of a reservation mix-up.
Ian Josey told Channel 2's Jovita Moore his mother has used Marta Mobility buses for more than a dozen years to get to doctor's appointments. Last week they were headed to a doctor's office at Atlantic Station when the dispatcher insisted they were traveling to Walmart.
Man Says MARTA Held Handicapped Mother Hostage
"She insistently told them stop on 85 and take them all the way back to Chamblee-Tucker's Walmart and drop them off," said Josey.
"If you let them off that bus you will be reprimanded. You need to take them back to Walmart, drop them off. Don't let them off that bus," Josey said the driver was ordered.
Josey told Moore it was simply a reservation mix-up and he confused the days. However that confusion kept him and his mother locked inside a bus for an hour, right outside the doctor's office door.
"Her appointment was at 2:15. We stayed on the bus bickering back and forth till 3:15. The bus driver was nice about it but the supervisor, she just constantly said 'you better not let them off that bus,'" Josey said.
Josey feels it's a case of unfair treatment toward the disabled and he's concerned for other riders. "Thank God I'm with my mother to speak out for her. Some people don't have that."
MARTA told Moore mobility customers are required to give one day notice of any trip change and paratransit riders are not allowed to make changes the day of their trip. MARTA officials said they regretted any inconvenience and the operator involved in the incident would be subject to disciplinary action up to, and including termination, for failing to follow the correct procedures.
WSBTV
