COTA Investigating Report Of Bus Driver Texting Behind Wheel

The Central Ohio Transit Authority launched an internal investigation after a passenger sent a picture of a bus driver texting behind the wheel, 10TV News reported on Wednesday.

COTA spokeswoman Beth Berkemer said that investigators were looking through video from cameras placed on the buses to determine if the incident occurred and who was driving the bus at the time of the incident.

“If we’re ever notified of a situation where there’s some concern, we investigate to see if any action needs to be taken, if something did happen or not,” Berkemer said.

Berkemer said that it was against COTA policy to have any kind of device while behind the wheel.

“When it comes to using any kind of personal device, cell phone, iPod, even reading a newspaper, it’s all prohibited behind the wheel,” Berkemer said. “You cannot do that at all while behind the wheel operating one of our vehicles.”

The alleged texting incident came to light days after Gov. John Kasich signed a law that bans writing, reading and sending text messages and other messages from behind the wheel.

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