Bus Driver Gives Passenger The Shoes Off Her Feet

August 1, 2024

Today's good news story comes from Saint Paul, Minnesota.

A Metro Transit bus driver gave a whole new meaning to going the extra mile on Friday when she literally gave the shoes off her feet to help one of her passengers.

good news bus driver gives shoes to passenger
Fox 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul

Known for her cheerful demeanor, Jayne Arendt-Verhelst, a 57-year-old bus driver, has earned the nickname "the happy driver" among her regular passengers.

“I have a few characters I greet every day,” she told FOX 9. She even gives them unique nicknames, like 'Oklahoma,' who has a strong dislike for tornadoes, and 'Nikki Sixx,' who resembles the Mötley Crüe rocker.

During a routine stop on West 7th in St. Paul, Jayne opened her bus doors for an unhoused woman who looked as though she had walked straight out of a disaster movie. Passenger Sarah Seldon, sitting towards the back of the bus, noticed the woman had no shoes and initially thought she might be asked to leave. Instead, Jayne surprised everyone by taking off her own shoes and giving them to the woman.

“She said, ‘Wait, hold on,’ and then just swung her shoes off,” Sarah recounted. The woman left the bus a few stops later, now wearing Jayne’s Skechers.

Sarah, who recently experienced homelessness herself, understood the significance of this gesture.

"Seeing that kind of kindness can give someone hope and propel them toward seeking help," she said.

Inspired by what she witnessed, Sarah shared the story on Reddit, leading to an outpouring of praise for Jayne and bus drivers everywhere.

Jayne, however, didn’t expect the attention.

“Every day, people ask me, ‘Do you still have your shoes on?’” she said with a laugh. “Stop it, stop it, stop it.”

Watch the news video below.