CLALLAM BAY — A Clallam Transit System driver has resigned after refusing to take passengers beyond Clallam Bay on a snowy trip to Neah Bay on Saturday night.
One of the riders called the Peninsula Daily News to complain that she had been “dumped” off the bus and left in the snow when the driver refused to continue to Neah Bay and decided instead to return to Forks.
“I don’t believe we forced anybody off,” Clallam Transit Operations Manager Frank Poulsen said Monday.
“We never put people off the bus.”
Clallam Bay, where the incident occurred, is about 18 miles on state Highway 112 from Neah Bay.
Poulsen said the incident is being investigated by operations supervisor Dave Whitley.
“The driver was concerned about the safety of it [the trip to Neah Bay],” Poulsen said.
Passengers on the trip can share information with him by calling 360-417-1315.
It remained unknown Monday how many riders were on the bus.
Poulsen said they disembarked, and some made telephone calls for alternative transportation — while others rode the bus back to Forks.
Slid into bus shelter
Meanwhile Monday, another Clallam Transit bus did minor damage to the bus shelter at Laird’s Corner west of Port Angeles and a car parked nearby.
The Laird’s Corner incident occurred on the first run Monday from Port Angeles to Forks.
Poulsen said state Department of Transportation crews had plowed U.S. Highway 101 and left a wind row of snow near the bus shelter.
When the bus departed the shelter, its right rear wheels were lifted onto the snow, Poulsen said.
The bus slid into the shelter and one of its riders’ parked cars, doing minor damage to the shelter and both vehicles, Poulsen said.
No one was injured, he said.
No reason for resignation
The driver who turned around in Clallam Bay, Tyler Zimmerman, did not give a reason for resigning, Poulsen said.
On Saturday, Clallam Transit cancelled some other runs after snow created hazardous driving conditions, said general manager Terry Weed.
According to Poulsen, Zimmerman was within his authority not to continue his trip through snowy conditions, but Zimmerman’s action was unusual.
“They usually keep going until the bus gets stuck,” Poulsen said.
“It’s an extremely rare event for us.”
Zimmerman, Poulsen said, earlier had radioed to the Clallam Transit dispatcher for advice and was told to continue.
The driver told the dispatcher he would drive no farther at 7:11 p.m.
However, no other buses or drivers were available to send to Clallam Bay, according to Poulsen.
“We didn’t have any other resources we could dedicate out there,” he said.
Zimmerman had been a temporary driver for Clallam Transit since June, said Poulsen, who called Zimmerman an experienced driver.
Zimmerman’s previous experience, Poulsen said, had been in Atlanta.
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Reporter Jim Casey can be reached at 360-417-3538 or at jim.casey@peninsuladailynews.com.
