Passenger Says NYC-to-D.C. Bus Went Off Route After Driver Switch in Viral Thread Recounting Play-by-Play

Passenger Says NYC-to-D.C. Bus Went Off Route After Driver Switch in Viral Thread Recounting Play-by-Play

A rider’s viral BlueSky posts described a chaotic NYC-to-D.C. trip after a driver switch, alleging the driver refused to head to Union Station and ignored calls from the bus company

Ashley Vega

Tue, January 20, 2026 at 10:10 PM UTC

4 min read

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Shutterstock Stock photo of a BestBus bus — Shutterstock
Stock photo of a BestBus bus

NEED TO KNOW

A BlueSky user posted a viral thread claiming their NYC-to-D.C. bus appeared to go off route after a driver change
The passenger alleged the driver refused to go to Union Station despite riders’ concerns and calls to the bus company
Following the incident, the company said an internal investigation is currently underway

A late-night bus ride from New York City to Washington, D.C., reportedly took a disturbing turn after one passenger claimed the trip suddenly went off course. The account, shared in a now-viral BlueSky thread, described growing confusion and fear after a driver switch at a rest stop.

The passenger, who posted from the account @musicologyduck.bsky.social, wrote that they had been asleep when things started to feel wrong. “I just woke up from a nap and somehow while I was asleep, everyone on the bus has figured out we are not going to the right place,” the user wrote Monday, Jan. 19, around 9 p.m.

According to the thread, a new driver took over during the trip and quickly became the center of the chaos. The passenger claimed the driver insisted the riders were mistaken about where they were headed, posting, “They switched drivers at a rest stop and the new driver is telling everyone that they’re the ones on the wrong bus??”

The rider alleged the driver refused to discuss the situation while behind the wheel. “He’s refusing to talk to anyone while he’s driving,” the user wrote, adding that the bus appeared to be moving fast enough that people began to panic.

Shutterstock Stock photo of a BestBus vehicle — Shutterstock
Stock photo of a BestBus vehicle

As the tension escalated, the passenger claimed some riders started calling the police.“I think I might end up in Vienna Virginia but I’m …not sure???” they wrote.

The poster said multiple riders tried to confront the driver directly about the destination. In one update, the user claimed, “Two big guys just went up and said we’re going to Union station!! and he said no we’re not.”

The passenger also suggested that the route confusion made little sense given how simple the usual trip is. “It’s particularly weird because this route only has three stops: penn station, union station, and DuPont circle,” they wrote.

In the thread, the rider said someone managed to reach the bus company by phone while the bus was still moving, adding the company said it was looking into what was happening.

But the poster claimed the driver continued to resist instructions and refused to engage with the company. “The bus company says they are trying to call the driver and he’s not answering,” the rider wrote.

“Someone pulled up Waze and said he’s going 75 in a 55 zone,” they posted.

The rider also claimed they overheard the driver discussing stops that were not part of the usual itinerary. In another update, the passenger wrote that a woman sitting behind them said the driver had mentioned stopping in Vienna and Manassas — locations outside Washington D.C. — leaving some passengers worried they could end up stranded late at night.

As the situation continued, the poster described a tense effort to get the bus company’s instructions directly to the front of the vehicle. “Ok someone got the bus company on speakerphone and is walking it up to the front of the bus,” they continued.

The passenger claimed they could hear the company representative shouting, “YOURE GOING TO UNION STATION,” as riders attempted to intervene. But according to the thread, the driver pushed back, allegedly yelling that he didn’t get paid enough and refusing to comply.

Meanwhile, the poster said the atmosphere on board felt divided and uneasy, with riders debating their next move. “The bus is divided on calling the police,” the user wrote, claiming some worried the situation could become even more volatile.

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A spokesperson for BestBus provided PEOPLE a statement stating, “We are aware of an overnight incident involving one of our drivers on a recent trip. The experience described on social media does not reflect the standards we expect from our team or the service our passengers deserve.”

The company revealed an internal investigation is underway as they review “all available information, including driver conduct, operational procedures, and trip conditions.”

“While that review is underway, we have taken immediate steps to address customer impact. All affected passengers have received full refunds and a credit voucher for a future trip,” the company continued. "We sincerely regret the disruption and poor service experienced by our passengers. We appreciate their patience as we complete our review, and we are committed to taking appropriate action and implementing any necessary improvements to prevent this from happening again."

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