Bus driver honoured for stopping racist rant

A bus driver who stood up to a woman in the midst of a racist tirade directed at other passengers was honoured Tuesday with a standing ovation at city hall.

ETS operator Larry Waters was recognized for intervening in the attack against Dalen Cardinal and her friend, who were riding a crowded Route 4 bus on the afternoon of Nov. 1.

The bus was headed west from Bonnie Doon down Whyte Avenue when a woman boarded and began hurling vile verbal abuse at Cardinal, who had her six-month-old baby with her, and her friend, who was eight months pregnant at the time, Cardinal said Tuesday.

“It was really scary,” she said. “I never would have thought that would have happened to me in 2018 but it did, and it’s still around.”

ANOTHER PASSENGER INTERVENED

The bus was full of people, and another woman stepped up and began defending Cardinal and her friend. It was then that Waters also became aware of what was happening and intervened as well. He told the woman to stop or get off the bus. She wouldn’t stop, so Waters ordered her off.

Cardinal said she’s grateful for Waters and the other passenger who intervened, who they haven’t been able to identify.

“I don’t know what would have happened if they weren’t there, or (if ) anyone else would have stepped in at all,” she said.

Waters has been driving buses for about 39 years.

“It was about as bad as it ever gets, it was maybe the worst,” the driver said.

He said a video Cardinal captured and shared to Facebook shows only the end of the incident, missing the worst of it.

‘YOU SHOULD FEEL SAFE’

When the woman refused to stop, the other passenger intervened, then Waters approached the woman and told her to get off.

“You should feel safe in those spaces, and anything that jeopardizes a person’s safety in public space, or their own private space, should be addressed,” he said.

Waters said it’s often hard for drivers to hear what’s going on in the back of the bus, but he said he is glad he was alerted that day.

Tuesday was the first time Waters and Cardinal have seen each other since the incident, and both of them wish they’d been able to find the other woman who stepped in to defend Cardinal.

“Words can’t even describe how thankful I am for the help that I have received,” Cardinal said.