Bus Driver Helps Missing Murrieta Man Find His Way Home

MURRIETA, CA — Bus drivers provide a great service to people who rely on public transportation to get food, medical care, go to work, or meet up with family or friends.

Some bus drivers go above and beyond — like Riverside Transit Authority driver Malinda Serafin did on April 12.

Serafin was driving her Route 1 bus through Riverside when she heard a message on her dispatch radio: A man in his 40s who walked with a limp due to a disability was missing from his Murrieta home. It's standard procedure to broadcast missing person messages to RTA drivers, according to the agency.

The 10-year-veteran driver made a mental note and continued on her way. As she was nearing the end of her shift, she pulled into a bus stop in downtown Riverside. That’s when she spotted a man who fit the missing person description.

"John," Serafin called out to him.

As he turned around, she knew it was him.

Serafin told John people were looking for him and asked if he wanted a ride.

The man quietly boarded the bus and they began their trip. Along the way, at each bus stop, Serafin would call out to John and ask if he was okay and remind him they were almost there.

About 20 minutes later, Serafin pulled into her final stop at UC Riverside. Serafin and an RTA supervisor waited with John until police arrived to take him back to his family.

It was a "mix of quick thinking, teamwork and a razor-sharp observation skill" from Serafin that helped John get home safely, the RTA said. "Thanks to Malinda’s professionalism, the man was reunited with his family."