Vanoc Bus Driver Dies of Heart Attack

Passenger halts bus after driver dies suddenly
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By: Darcy Wintonyk, ctvbc.ca, Monday Feb. 22, 2010
B.C. Mounties and the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee are crediting the quick actions of passengers aboard a Vanoc shuttle bus for bringing it under control after its driver suffered a massive heart attack and died suddenly early Monday morning.
The 71-year-old starting having chest pains as he was shuttling other bus drivers to their vehicles on the Trans-Canada Highway in Coquitlam just after 4 a.m.
Somehow the driver managed to steer the bus into an HOV lane before one of the passengers, another Vanoc driver, was able to bring the bus to a safe stop, Vanoc's Renée Smith-Valade said.
"Another driver on board, who dedicated a great commitment to the safety of others, was able to pull the bus over safely, put on the flashers and emergency responders were on the scene," she told reporters at a press conference Monday morning.
The driver, a Minnesota resident, was pronounced dead at the scene. A small stretch of the highway was shut down while emergency services and RCMP Lower Mainland District Traffic Services attended the scene.
All five of the bus drivers on board the shuttle have been given the day off and are being offered counselling, said Smith-Valade. None were injured.
"We'd like to express our condolences to his family, friends and the colleagues who worked with him and especially to his fellow workers who were with him at the time of his death," she said.
"Everyone on our workforce at Vanoc feels personally when we lose someone who is part of our team."
The driver was employed by Gameday, a management company contracted to design and manage the bus services for Vanoc during the 2010 Games.
RCMP say the actions of the passengers not only ensured the safety of everyone on board the bus but also everyone on the highway this morning.
"The actions of those on board to safely stop the bus, and provide assistance to the driver in an attempt to resuscitate him, should be commended" Cpl. Lea-Anne Dunlop said.
The B.C. Coroners Service and RCMP Port Mann Traffic Services are investigating.