Bus driver Adam Stevens sentenced for letting teen operate vehicle

A young man who let an unlicensed teenager drive a bus through Sydney streets with passengers on board did so to maintain a friendship with the teen after years of being lonely and bullied, a court has heard.

A former bus driver Adam Stevens who let a teenager operate a bus when unlicensed while passengers were on board avoided the media after he was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

A former bus driver who let an unlicensed teenager operate his vehicle while passengers were on board has been given a slap on the wrist in court.

Adam Stevens, 26, was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court on Thursday after he allowed the minor to drive his bus around Sydney streets on four occasions in March last year while members of the public were on board.

Stevens was due to defend the allegations at a hearing on Thursday but the matter was resolved and he entered pleas of guilty to four counts of allowing a person who was not licensed to drive a motor vehicle.

Stevens, who worked as a driver at Transit System since April 2018 before he was terminated, held a licence allowing him to drive buses while the teen only had a learners permit for a car.

Bus driver Adam Stevens during a previous court appearance. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

Agreed facts tendered to court said on March 10, 17, 22 and 28 last year, Stevens picked up a bus at a Kingsgrove or Burwood depot and would drive his route to pick up and drop off commuters.

The 16-year-old got on the bus on each occasion near Earlwood before Stevens allowed him to sit in the driver’s seat while he stood next to the cubicle.

Stevens also gave the boy his Transit System jacket so he would look legitimate.

The teen then drove through densely populated suburbs in Sydney and allowed passengers to board and alight the bus.

The incidents were captured on the bus’ CCTV and Stevens and the teen could be seen laughing and talking.

Before his shift finished, Stevens dropped off the teen at his home or nearby before returning the bus to the depot.

The documents did not reveal who reported the incidents to police but they were notified on March 29.

Officers spoke to the teen the following day and arrested Stevens at his Menai home.

Adam Stevens (right) was supported in court by his parents. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

In court, defence lawyer Emmanuel Apokis acknowledged members of the public and other road users were put at risk.

Mr Apokis conceded Stevens “misused his authority” as a bus driver.

He said Stevens’ charges were the “catalyst” for him and his family to seek therapy because he had never been in trouble with the law, and he was subsequently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

The court also heard Stevens, who had an “obsession” with buses from a young age, was a “recluse” and “withdrawn” from friends.

The psychologist said Stevens suffered from social deficits and was lonely, had been bullied at school, and struggled to make and maintain friendships.

The court heard Stevens met the teen on Instagram and they connected over their mutual interest in buses.

Stevens was sympathetic to the teen wanting to become a bus driver and was worried about losing the friendship after he asked to operate it multiple times.

The court heard Stevens was a “perfectionist” , “people pleaser” and “rule follower” but he wanted to maintain the friendship with the teen, and avoid loneliness, despite feeling uncomfortable about him driving the bus.

Adam Stevens was fired from his bus driver position with Transit System. Pic Ashleigh Tullis

The court heard Stevens had the support of his family, with his parents present in court and would continue seeing a psychologist and working on creating boundaries and being assertive.

He has since gained work cleaning buses for a private company two days a week but was unlikely to be able to drive a passenger bus again for a long time.

Mr Apokis said it was “extremely unlikely” Stevens would reoffend and the court heard Stevens only had two minor speeding offences on his driving record.

Magistrate Glenn Bartley took into account Stevens’ mid-level autism spectrum disorder and accepted he was lonely and wanted to keep his friendship with the teen.

He accepted Stevens was regretful, understood the risk he put people in, and had genuine insight into his behaviour, adding he did not believe he was likely to reoffend.

Stevens was placed on conditional release order with no conviction recorded where he has to be of good behaviour for nine months and continue therapy and assertiveness training.