Local

Lynx driver calls 911 on disabled passenger over $1 dispute

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A disabled woman called Channel 9 Eyewitness News after she said she was nearly kicked off an Access Lynx bus and nearly arrested over $1.
 
Joyce Rosa said a stroke nearly 15 years left her paralyzed. She uses Access Lynx, a public bus service, to run errands, but when she boarded earlier this week she said it resulted in the driver calling 911 on her.
 
"I handed her the copay, which was supposed to be $4 but it was $3," said Rosa.
 
Rosa said she tried to explain to the driver that she must have dropped the other dollar.
 
The driver stated in the 911 call that Access Lynx told her to call deputies anyway
 
"They told me if she don't have the copay that I would have to take her off the bus and she refuse to get off the bus," the driver said in the 911 call.
 
Rosa pointed out she never refused to get off of the bus, but needed assistance getting on and off the bus.
 
"I wanted just to get the dollar and go do my shopping and that's what was puzzling to me," Rosa said. 
 
When the bus driver called 911 a second time she canceled the request for deputies to come out because a nearby neighbor came over and gave Rosa the extra dollar.
 
A Lynx representative told Channel 9's Julie Salomone that passengers are required to pay their fare.
 
"What happened on Saturday was unfortunate for Ms. Rosa. We have apologized to her," the Lynx representative said. 
 
This isn't the first time Channel 9 has reported about problems on the bus. Last week a disabled woman was stranded in the rain for more than an hour waiting for an Access Lynx driver to arrive. She filed a complaint.
 
"They've had problems before like this it's not fair," said Rosa.
 
Lynx representatives told Salomone that Rosa's incident will be addressed through a disciplinary hearing and employees will be going through customer service retraining.