Teen bus driver helps mom and children flee from ‘aggressive’ ex-partner looking for them

An 18-year-old bus driver is being praised for helping a woman and her kids flee from a violent man.

Kyle Caswell has only been driving a bus in Swindon, England, for six months, but he didn’t hesitate to go beyond the call of duty when he met the distressed family.

The teen was just about to finish his route one evening when a visibly upset woman with her three children quickly came running towards the bus stop.

“I was just about to finish my duty and I was up at the Asda waiting my time, and I see her coming over [with her] children, coming over quite quickly, but I thought, ‘oh, you know, she’s gonna miss her bus’, so I waited,” Kyle said.

He let the family board the bus. As he finished his route, he spoke to the woman, who confessed that they had been running away from her ex-boyfriend, whom she described as “extremely violent.”

“So, I got out of the cab and spoke to her for two minutes, just to try and get a picture of what happened,” Kyle recalled. “She told me her ex-boyfriend was in the area and he was trying to get to her and her children.”

As he was about to return to the bus depot, Kyle realized he would be dropping off the family close to where they got on. Knowing the woman’s story, he knew it would be unsafe to leave them there.

So, he called his supervisor to explain the situation and ask for permission to use the bus to drive the family to a relative’s home on the other side of Swindon. His supervisor fully supported the plan, and Kyle was able to bring the woman and her kids to a safe place.

“She was very surprised but extremely thankful, she just kept saying thank you so much,” he recalled.

Few bus drivers experience this, yet Kyle showed maturity and genuine concern for his passengers. As word of his story spread, his employers and community celebrated him for his noble actions.

Paul Coyne, Operations Manager for Swindon’s Bus Company, said:

“We are all very proud of Kyle. He acted with maturity and humility. At Swindon’s Bus Company, we know we have excellent drivers, but we also look for the ability to provide great customer service when we recruit new colleagues. Kyle is the epitome of that, and he is very worthy of the praise he has received.”

Kyle’s employer later granted him the Best in Town award and urged the public to approach workers like him if ever they find themselves in danger.

As for Kyle, he said he was just doing his job.

“If I can keep people safe and make sure they aren’t in any danger, then that’s my job done, really,” he said.

Other victims of domestic violence have also been reaching out to him on Facebook to thank him for helping the mother and her kids during such a scary time.

“To be honest, just tell the driver that you’re in danger, and they will try and help you as much as they can,” Kyle said when asked what someone should do if they find themselves in a similar situation.

“You shouldn’t be scared of them, I don’t think, because we do have a duty to our passengers to make sure they are safe so if you are in any danger, just say something, and we will try and help you as best as we can,” he added.

Kudos to this bus driver for taking action that night and keeping this family safe!

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