A school bus driver in Palm Beach County has been sacked after leaving a 15-year-old student four miles away from his home when he fell asleep on the bus earlier this year. The incident took place in March when Tony Mancuso, a student at Suncoast Community High School in Riviera Beach, woke up on the bus around 4 pm and informed the driver, Gerald Marston, that he had missed his stop. Instead of helping the teen, Marston allegedly refused to turn back and instructed him to call his parents for assistance. He then left the boy at a park before continuing with his route.
An investigation revealed that Marston failed to report the incident to his supervisors or bus dispatchers. Footage from the bus showed the driver giving directions to the teenager to get back to his stop, which would have taken the student an hour and a half on foot. Additionally, Marston neglected to perform the required end-of-route safety check that could have helped locate Mancuso sooner.
The boy’s father, David Mancuso, expressed outrage at the driver’s actions, questioning the school district’s responsibility for its students regardless of their age. After the parents tracked their son’s phone to find him, they reported the incident to school authorities, leading to Marston’s termination. The driver had previously been involved in three preventable crashes, further contributing to his dismissal.
Despite not facing criminal charges, Marston’s firing was unanimously approved by the school board, with his termination set for October 11 if he does not appeal the decision. The incident has highlighted the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of students in transit and the accountability expected from school bus drivers.