Description

Bus stop ID unknown—Intersection of S Obrien and Idaho in Port Tampa. Route 17. Bus Number 1709. Liscense plate TP0954. Time 6:21 PM.

The bus operator was flying down Idaho so fast, it blew dust in my eyes on the sidewalk on the other side of the street on a windless day. It was FLYING and I could hear the accelerator still being pressed 50 yards from the bus stop. There were two children on one bike stopped on the curb of the bus stop facing with the flow of traffic—at a reasonable speed these children should not have been in danger and were not in the road. The driver slammed on the break and laid on the horn for the children to move as the bus skid to a stop. The children left my view as the bus overtook them but did ride away after the incident.

I was instinctively afraid for my own safety (although perhaps unreasonably given my proximity to the road) when the bus whooshed past because Vehicles rarely go that fast on Idaho. But I thought I’d be calling an ambulance for those children. This isn’t the first time the Rout 17 bus has gone too fast down Idaho, but I will say it doesn’t happen every time I see it. This IS the first time I’ve seen it the that speed and skid to a stop. Very unsafe. Please address the issue. The driver and bus can be seen in the attached photo.