9 Investigates: Viewer, WSOC video captures erratic school bus driving

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Concerned citizen, Joe Scarborough, sent Channel 9 video of what appears to be a school bus driver for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools bus No. 179., tailgating his vehicle and trying to pass on a double yellow line.

"It went on for a few more minutes and just kept getting closer and closer so I finally got the video [started]," Scarborough said. "It's just hard to believe, I mean you have a vehicle that big, that powerful that you would drive that aggressive."

In the video, the bus driver can be seen trying to pass on the left and forcing another car coming in the opposite direction off the shoulder of the road.

The video showed the bus driver then going by the car on the right and turning right at a red light without stopping.

Two Channel 9 employees recently recorded video of the same bus. They noticed the driver of Bus 179 had a cell phone in her hand, while driving near Shamrock Gardens Elementary School. A short time later, they captured video of her not slowing down for a yellow light on Kings Drive near uptown Charlotte.

CMS released a statement about the video, saying, "CMS “Transportation is committed to the safe transport of students on school buses. We appreciate being made aware of this situation and are taking immediate steps to investigate and address the matter. No students were on board.”

On Thursday, CMS announced that the driver was suspended with pay pending an internal investigation.

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