Amal Hanna lost her bus driving job recently after unintentionally drinking an alcoholic beverage. The beverage, a White Claw hard seltzer, ended up in her bus’s cup holder. Amal believed it was a regular seltzer water grabbed from her roommate’s fridge.
Amal’s chemotherapy has impacted her sense of taste. She explained her difficulty in identifying the alcoholic content of the drink. “For people like me that don’t drink, how are they going to know this is alcohol?” she commented.
WE Transport Inc., Hanna’s employer, took swift action. “This alleged conduct is completely unacceptable, and the driver has been immediately removed from service,” their statement read.
No Charges Filed
However, Suffolk County Police understand Amal’s situation. They won’t press charges, recognizing her genuine mistake. Mark Secaur, the Smithtown School District Superintendent, said: “We received a report of a bus driver drinking an alcoholic beverage while on the route to bring students home from High School West. It was confirmed that an alcoholic beverage was on board, and the driver was promptly taken from the bus, and a different driver completed the route.”
Parents have praised Amal’s dedication over the years. They describe her as punctual, attentive, and caring. To help her, a parent started a GoFundMe campaign. The aim? Provide support during these challenging times.
