Boy Notices Strange Smell Coming From School Bus Driver – Takes One Look At Driver and Calls 911

There was a strange smell in the air, and the boy looked up to see if anyone else had noticed it. It didn’t look like anyone had, but he definitely smelled something burning. The motion of the bus was making him feel sick, but he couldn’t get off it. His friends were unaware of what was happening to him and continued chatting and giggling. He smelled something burning, but nobody else seemed to have noticed.

At exactly 3:00 p.m., Trevor sat down in his usual seat by the window. He stared out of the window at the sleepy streets of Pining Grove, distractedly daydreaming about his favorite video game. Suddenly, a pungent odor hit him. It was a foreign and unpleasant smell, and he was concerned. He couldn’t identify the odor; it was unlike anything he had ever encountered before. It was extremely strong and felt like it was burning his nostrils.

Before anyone else could comment on the smell, the bus lurched forward. Backpacks and books were flying everywhere, and there was panic among the passengers. Kevin could see that the bus driver, Carla Mitchell, had lost control of the bus. She was struggling desperately to regain control, but there was definitely a problem with the bus. It was swaying dangerously, and the driver Carla tried her best to control it. It was obvious that she was terrified and didn’t understand why this was happening.

Trevor felt like the acrid, mysterious smell was almost suffocating him, and he realized that he had to do something about it urgently. Luckily, Trevor had a cell phone that his parents gave him for emergencies like this, and he reached for it in his backpack. His heart was racing as he dialed 911 with shaking fingers. The call was answered quickly, and the operator’s question was said in a calm, soothing manner. “911, what’s your emergency?” she said.

Trevor didn’t know what to say at first. Eventually, he found his voice and said, “Hello, my name is Trevor. I’m a student at Pining Grove Middle School. There’s something wrong with my school bus. It’s… it’s jerking, and the bus driver looks scared.” The 911 operator asked for the bus’s location and then whether there had been an accident.

The bus driver was still trying to get the bus under control while Trevor was speaking to the dispatcher. The 911 operator understood that she was dealing with a child and that it was important to try and calm him down to get the information she needed from him. “Stay on the line with me,” she told a crying Trevor. She gently tried to coax out more information from him. “Tell me what’s going on. Is the bus driver okay?” she asked.

Trevor was scared and emotional, and he was struggling to give the dispatcher the information she needed. “Okay, honey. And what is the bus doing? Are you still moving?” she asked while she captured everything she could get out of Trevor. Into the system, through his tears, Trevor told the operator that the bus was still moving and that it looked like there was something wrong with the driver.

The dispatcher reassured him that help was on the way. “You hang tight. We’re going to help you, all right?” she told the terrified boy. He had to tell the operator what he was seeing. “Ma’am,” he said breathlessly, “I think something is wrong with Mrs. Mitchell. Her eyes keep closing. I think she’s sick.”

The operator was very concerned now, but she kept her voice under control for Trevor’s sake. She told him to speak to the bus driver, to keep her awake, to see if he could get her to pull over. “All right,” Trevor called out to the bus driver, and she opened her eyes while the bus was swaying dangerously. He told her that he had called the police, and they were on their way, but that she had to pull over to the side of the road.

“Is she pulled off to the side of the road?” the operator asked. “She’s trying to,” Trevor answered breathlessly. He was terrified, and his heart was beating a mile a minute. The driver had finally managed to pull the bus off the busy road. Although the bus had now come to a stop, the danger was not over yet. The pungent smell was very strong, and Trevor was afraid that whatever was in the air had caused the driver to become disoriented. He had never been this terrified in his life.

“Is everything all right? It sounds a lot quieter,” the operator asked. The children fell silent and nervously looked outside. Trevor stayed on the phone with the 911 operator, telling her what was going on. Some other motorists had now also pulled over to see what was going on. The bus driver was now slumped in her seat, and it looked like she had lost consciousness.

Within minutes, firefighters and paramedics arrived on the scene, their flashing lights and urgent voices filling the air. They quickly assessed the situation, checking the bus’s ventilation system and evacuating the children to safety. A police cruiser pulled up behind the halted bus, and Officer Ramirez approached Carla Mitchell, who was still sitting in the bus with glassy eyes.

Officer Ramirez was strict and solemn; she didn’t have time for any games. She jumped onto the bus. “Ma’am, I need you to step out of the vehicle,” Officer Ramirez instructed firmly, a hint of concern in her voice. Mrs. Mitchell was clearly out of it as she tried to get out of her seat. It took a few attempts, but eventually, the woman managed to step out of her seat. She stood on wobbly legs, struggling to keep her eyes open.

Trevor, still clutching his phone, watched in awe and relief as the officer’s expression shifted from concern to stern disbelief. Carla blew into a small device and waited. Carla had failed the test; she was intoxicated. She had been drinking before she got onto the bus and put all of their lives in danger.

As firefighters investigated the source of the mysterious odor, Trevor was interviewed by the authorities. The boy said the smell was burning his nose and held his hand over his face. He recounted the events leading up to his call to 911, his voice unwavering as he detailed the unsettling smell and the bus’s abrupt jerking.

The officers at the scene inspected the bus. They opened the hood, and everything was fine. It was

only when they called the mechanic to inspect that they discovered it was from the brakes. She had hit the brakes so hard that they burned and wore away at the tire.

The gravity of the situation was now apparent to everyone on the bus. Mrs. Mitchell had taken a huge risk by drinking while driving. News of Trevor’s quick thinking and bravery quickly spread through Pining Grove, earning him accolades from his schoolmates and teachers alike. He became even more popular just for being vigilant. His parents, overcome with pride, hugged him tightly when they finally reunited at home.

But would this issue change anything about the American school transportation system? In response to this harrowing incident, the school district wasted no time implementing new safety measures. They had a few alternatives to monitor the children’s transport, which was a buddy system. Effective immediately, a backup driver would accompany each school bus on its afternoon route, ensuring the safety of every child on board.

Today, Pining Grove School celebrates Trevor Baskins, the young hero who, when faced with danger, rose to the occasion and averted a potential tragedy. To this day, the town stands united in gratitude for his courage, reminding us all that heroes can emerge from the unlikeliest of places, even a school bus ride home.