A Massachusetts man was trying to get home from work when he experienced blatant racism from a bus driver.

Kevin Brooks was on his way home from his barbering job on the island of Martha's Vineyard when he tried to get a bus driver’s attention. The driver allegedly saw him but kept going, according to The Martha’s Vineyard Times. Brooks says the buses usually signal when they are at full capacity.

To avoid missing a ferry, Brooks called an Uber and arrived a little later than the bus. Brooks confronted the driver and asked why he ignored him.

“Well, it’s because you are black,” the bus driver reportedly replied.

The comment shocked Brooks.

“I am from the South. If I feel racism, I deal with it. For the first time in my life, I had to swallow it. I’ve never felt more disrespected or belittled in my life. I had trouble sleeping that night,” Brooks said.

Brooks called the Martha’s Vineyard Transit Authority (VTA) to report the incident, and the driver has been fired, according to a statement from the company. The VTA corroborated Brooks’ story based on audio and video surveillance from the bus.

“The VTA and their operating company, Transit Connection Inc., who manage the vehicle operators, have a zero tolerance policy for this type of behavior,” a statement from the VTA reads. “The vehicle operator involved in this incident has been terminated from employment, effective immediately.”

The firing isn’t good news for Brooks, who says he doesn’t believe the driver is racist.

“Maybe he was having a bad day, and the wrong thing came out of his mouth,” Brooks said. “I’m not about any drama at all. I just want to provide for my family. I’m not here for a political debate.”

Still, he is pushing for accountability. He has sought legal counsel and contacted the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.

“The video shows everything, that’s all I’ll say. This isn’t over; I want to get this out there,” he said.

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Martha's Vineyard Transit Authority

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