A viral video showing two horses boarding a Detroit city bus is real, and the city is investigating. The video, posted by a Facebook user named Ellessia Drew, shows two saddled horses being led onto a Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) bus through one entrance and then quickly exiting through another.
Jordan Williams, cofounder of Urban City Cowboys, was the man in the video. He told WXYZ Detroit that he was in the city helping with a fundraiser when he saw a DDOT bus and decided to walk his horse on and off. Williams said he has brought his horses onto city buses several times before. He explained that the point was to bring light to the city that there are cowboys who look like him.
Ellesia Drew, who filmed the clip, told the New York Post she was thinking about the people on the bus and what if the horse used the bathroom. She was driving on 7 mile on Saturday when she caught the scene on camera, according to CBS Detroit.
Alexis Ware, deputy director of media relations for the mayor's office, confirmed the video is real. She said DDOT has located the bus driver and is conducting an investigation. The city will not have further details until Thursday, Nov. 12.
DDOT released a statement saying the department is taking steps to address the incident because it is inconsistent with DDOT policy and potentially creates an unsafe and uncomfortable ride for passengers. The statement noted that service animals are allowed on buses under the Americans with Disabilities Act, but those animals must be trained to work for a person with a disability and must be under control at all times.
Williams told WXYZ Detroit that the bus driver was shocked to see the horse. The city's investigation is ongoing, and officials said they will provide more information later this week.