Nine yr Old Boy Steals Saskatoon Transit Bus

Jeff Jorgenson, Saskatoon's general manager of transportation and utilities, says the bus stolen by a nine-year-old boy on Saturday morning was left in an unsafe and accessible condition.

The City of Saskatoon says a bus stolen by a nine-year-old boy on Saturday morning was left running and in an unsecured state during repairs when it was stolen.

Jeff Jorgenson, Saskatoon’s general manager of transportation and utilities, told reporters the nine-year-old boy was in the bus, which was taken from 300 block of 24th Street West, for 12 to 14 seconds before he put the bus in gear and drove off through the parking brake.

“From what we know, and again we’re very early in the investigation, the bus was left in a very unsafe and accessible condition,” he said outside Saskatoon’s transit maintenance building.

Jorgenson said the boy drove the bus north towards 28th Street, then turned east on 28th Street towards Idylwyld Drive before getting caught up on a curb near 25th Street and Idylwyld.

During the incident, the nine-year-old hit another transit bus and a parked car, but no one was injured.

Jorgenson said the boy drove the bus north towards 28th Street, then turned east on 28th Street towards Idylwyld Drive before getting caught up on a curb near 25th Street and Idylwyld.

During the incident, the nine-year-old hit another transit bus and a parked car, but no one was injured.

Clear violation of policies
Jorgenson explained the city wouldn’t likely be reviewing its policies around securing buses, as the incident was a result of human error.

“This is not a case where policies need to be reviewed or practices need be reviewed,” he said. “This is a case where, from what I’ve seen, policies and procedures were clearly violated.”

“Busses are not to be left in that condition.”

A transit supervisor witnessed part of the incident before the bus became hung up on the curb as he was driving north on Idylwyld Drive.

When he saw the youth behind the wheel of the bus, which was headed southbound, the supervisor turned around.

Once the bus came to a full stop, he turned the youth over to police.

Jorgenson said it’s too early to determine if any employees will be reprimanded as a result of the incident.

“Today was the was the first day where we’ve had a chance to look at all of this” he said.

“We have a lot of work to do to get all of the facts together before we determine what kind of possible actions could be taken as a result of what happened.”

Due to the boy’s age, police say he won’t be charged.

Fire crews respond to bus fire on Friday
Saturday’s joyriding nine-year old is the second incident Saskatoon Transit has had to deal with this weekend.

At roughly 6:15 p.m. on Friday night, fire crews responded to a report of a Saskatoon Transit bus that had caught fire at 115th Street near Dunlop Street and fire investigators determined Friday’s fire was caused by a mechanical failure.

Jorgenson said the city is still determining if Saskatoon Transit will release a tape of Saturday’s incident to the public and said cost of damages to the two buses is estimated to be under $10,000.

Metro