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Homophobic Bus Driver Refuses to Drive Pride-Themed Vehicle
Twitter/@becca_sears
The rainbow-colored route number offended him, so he made passengers wait for a new driver to arrive.
August 16 2019 12:40 AM EST
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The rainbow-colored route number offended him, so he made passengers wait for a new driver to arrive.
A bus driver in the United Kingdom refused to take the wheel of a vehicle with rainbow-themed route numbers.
"This bus promotes homosexuality and I refuse to drive it," he told passengers, according to one rider who documented the episode of Twitter.
Becca Sears, who was riding a bus in the Norwich area, said the driver told passengers they had to wait so he could swap his assignment with another driver after he realized he was behind the wheel of a Pride-celebrating vehicle.
"I'm aware everyone is entitled to their own views however, if you can't do your job properly because of your bigotry, maybe you need rethink your choices," she wrote.
Since 2017, a number of buses use rainbow lighting for route numbers to honor Norwich Pride each year, according to the BBC. That apparently included the 501 to Thickthorn.
Go East Anglia, the company that runs the bus system, told the BBC the driver has been suspended and the company will investigate the incident.
It also released a statement on Twitter in response to Sears's account.
"Go East Anglia prides itself on values that support diversity and inclusion and has been a champion of Norwich Pride since 2017," the statement reads.
"We particularly want all customers of whatever background or sexual orientation to feel comfortable on our services."
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