Hero bus driver honoured after helping pregnant woman deliver baby on board

A Glasgow bus driver who assisted in delivering a baby aboard her bus has been honoured with an award.

Pummy Habede was at the wheel of the Number 23 service from Glasgow to Erskine on November 29 last year when an expectant couple boarded at Nelson Street.

The service was due to pass by the hospital where the couple were heading.

However, Pummy soon heard concerning noises coming from the rear of the bus.

The driver stopped the vehicle and rushed to help the pregnant woman, who was in significant pain.

She contacted McGill’s traffic control and the ambulance service, quickly realising the woman was in labour and the baby was about to arrive.

Remaining calm throughout, Pummy helped deliver the baby before placing the newborn on the mother’s tummy and using a towel from her own bag to keep the baby warm until paramedics arrived.

Mother and baby were then taken to hospital.

In recognition of her act of heroism, Pummy was named Frontline Employee/Community Champion of the Year at the UK National Transport Awards in London.

She said: “I’m absolutely delighted and a little overwhelmed to have received this award.

“When it happened, I wasn’t thinking about doing anything special. I could see that the mother needed help, and I just concentrated on keeping her calm, listening to the ambulance service and doing whatever I could until the paramedics arrived.

“The moment we heard the baby cry was something I will never forget. More than anything, I was just relieved to know that mum and baby were safe.

“To receive an award for something that happened during an ordinary working day is very special.”

Pummy had already been Highly Commended at the Scottish Transport Awards earlier this year.

Colin Napier, group service delivery director at McGill’s Buses, said: “Everyone at McGill’s is immensely proud of Pummy, and it is fantastic to see her actions recognised at the UK level.

“Bus drivers encounter an enormous range of situations during their working day, but very few could ever expect to find themselves helping to deliver a baby.

“Pummy showed tremendous composure, compassion and presence of mind when her passengers needed her most.

“What makes this award particularly fitting is that Pummy’s first instinct has always been to play down what she did.

“She simply saw people who needed her help and stepped forward. That says a great deal about her character and the care our frontline colleagues show towards the communities they serve.”