It is with honor and esteem that the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District’s (AC Transit) Board of Directors will bestow Bus Operator Ari Megaro with a commendation for actions that exceeded the deliverance of excellent customer service.
On April 30, 2016 just before 9:30 a.m., Operator Ari Megaro was traveling on Grand Avenue – near Harrison Street – when he observed a small boy on a foot-powered scooter riding on the sidewalk alongside his Line 12 bus. The child appeared to be alone. Passengers also alerted Operator Megaro that they too noticed the boy several miles back; as some waited to board the Line 12 bus. Sensing a potentially dire situation, Operator Megaro immediately brought his coach to a safe stop then engaged the boy using an exceptionally calm demeanor. In fact, the Operator and boy talked about their mutual love of skateboards which helped gain the boy’s trust.
Commenting on the actions taken to safeguard and reunite the boy with his family, AC Transit Board President H. E. Christian Peeples stated “I am immensely proud of the fact that the AC Transit family and in particular one of our operator’s was able to return a child to his family,”
During the incident Operator Megaro – employed with AC Transit just 21 months – was not aware that 7 year-old Danny Eichberg has autism. Nor did the Operator know that Danny had traveled several miles from his family’s home in Piedmont. At home, Danny’s family had frantically contacted local police and an active search was in full-swing. However, no one imagined Danny had traveled alone to Lake Merritt on his scooter.
"We are incredibly grateful to the AC transit passengers for noticing our son and sharing their concerns with the operator, and to Mr. Megaro for taking the initiative to intervene and ensure his safety,” said Michael Eichberg. “Children on the autism spectrum like Danny are part of our community, and having people who are aware of and on the look-out for them will ultimately make all children safer."
Danny’s parents taught him two vital facts: how to spell his parent’s names and his full address. This was vital to Alameda County Sheriff’s Deputies, who then searched the Eichberg’s on Facebook. After locating his mother’s page, Deputies showed the profile picture to the 7 year-old and were able to make a positive identification.
"I still can't believe that AC Transit is the organization that rescued him and reunited our family,” continued Eichberg. “When he (Danny) turned 6, he even had a birthday cake shaped like an AC Transit Bus, complete with green stripe and official-looking insignia. So you can imagine how he must have felt when the bus driver pulled over and opened the door for him. He felt the way you would feel if Steph Curry himself had given him front row seats to a Warriors game."
It was Operator Megaro who provided Danny a front-row seat of the bus, watching over his impromptu ward and assuring him, as authorities gathered what was necessary to achieve this positive outcome.
“Each day our Operator’s directly interact with nearly 200,000 riders positively addressing a myriad of customer service situations,” said Michael Hursh, AC Transit’s general manager. “In fact, AC Transit Operators perform exceptional acts daily in our community– often under great pressure. Nevertheless, Operator Megaro’s actions were truly exceptional. He embodies the AC Transit Family’s commitment to service and represents the future of AC Transit.”
For his outstanding compassion and professionalism, Operator Ari Megaro will be honored Wednesday, May 11 at 5:00 p.m.
The commendation ceremony will be hosted inside the AC Transit Board Room at 1600 Franklin Street, Oakland, CA.
