A Tennessee transit agency apologized and fired a part-time railway conductor after a video spread online showing him celebrating Independence Day by calling the United States ‘the greatest country on the face of the planet’ and telling anyone who disagreed they could leave.
Incident Details
The incident occurred on the Incline Railway, which is owned and operated by the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA). The conductor, identified as Jack Peterson, was fired after a TikTok video posted by Nathan Scherer captured him making the remarks.
A person can be heard responding, ‘Shut up.’ The Incline Railway’s director met with Peterson and immediately fired him. CARTA’s chief of staff, Scott Wilson, apologized for the incident and stated that the company has zero tolerance for language that demeans or excludes anyone who rides with them.
Response and Aftermath
Peterson started a GoFundMe due to the support he received since the incident went viral. Wilson said that the conductor’s role is to welcome visitors from around the world, seat them safely, and play an audio recording about the railway’s history, not to share personal views.
The decision to terminate Peterson was based on his conduct toward passengers, complaints from riders, and a video from a customer. Peterson’s remarks were inconsistent with the organization’s values and customer service standards.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
