UPS driver fired, plumber disciplined as video shows wrong-way US 54 driving
EL PASO, Texas -- A UPS driver was fired and a New Age Plumbing employee disciplined on Friday after ABC-7 cameras caught them among multiple drivers traveling the wrong direction down a U.S. 54 on-ramp during a powerful rain storm.
Drivers that found themselves at a stop due to high water near the Hercules exit heading south on US-54 on Thursday decided they were going to either make their own road off the highway or turn around and drive towards oncoming traffic.
ABC-7's cameras were rolling as the UPS and New Age Plumbing drivers turned around on US-54 heading towards on-coming traffic and then took the on-ramp going the wrong direction in order to get to the access route and avoid the traffic backup due to flooding.
In a statement to ABC-7, a UPS spokesman said: "We train our drivers to follow the rules of the road and to protect public safety. The driver in question has been terminated. His decision to exit the highway was wrong, and was not in line with his training or our culture of safe driving."
And a spokeswoman for New Age Plumbing told ABC-7: "Thank You for sharing the information on our driver. It was poor judgement on his part and was regretted instantly. Please know we have addressed the issue and will take this as a learning opportunity for our team."
