Two horses were led through a Detroit city bus after their riders asked the driver to let them aboard, prompting an official warning about passenger safety and plans to retrain bus operators.
The unusual encounter happened on 7 November 2026, shortly after 5pm, near East Seven Mile Road and Strasburg Street in Detroit, Michigan. Video taken by a passer-by spread online before the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) released footage from the bus’s own cameras.
What the bus footage shows
The bus pulls up beside two men on saddled horses. Its driver speaks to them and appears amused by the request. The men dismount, lead the animals through the front doors and leave through another set of doors. The bus does not carry the horses on a journey.
The newly released footage offers a clearer view of an incident first recorded by passing motorist Ellessia Drew. The horses were on board briefly, but the bus was stationary during their visit.
Video: FOX 2 Detroit, showing footage released from the DDOT bus cameras.
Why were horses on a Detroit bus?
One of the riders, Jordan Williams, is a co-founder of Urban City Cowboys, which introduces children and young people in Detroit to horses and riding. Williams told local media he had been helping with a community fundraiser and giving children horse rides when he spotted the bus.
He said the stunt was intended to draw attention to Black cowboys in the city and the work of his organisation, rather than to transport the animals. He also apologised for the possibility of getting anyone into trouble.
Williams told WXYZ that this was not the first time he had taken horses through a Detroit bus, joking: “It’s not my first rodeo.”
What Detroit officials have said
DDOT said the incident was inconsistent with its policy and raised safety concerns for passengers and the horses. The department allows qualifying service animals aboard, but officials said the circumstances of this incident appeared different.
In a statement released alongside the new footage, city officials acknowledged the awareness-raising motive while saying they would use the incident to retrain bus operators and inform residents about public transport safety.
The city’s statements reviewed for this report did not announce a specific disciplinary outcome for the driver. No injuries were reported in the available coverage.
Sources
- FOX / LiveNOW: city statement, video and Urban City Cowboys background
- ABC News: new onboard footage and DDOT response, 13 November 2026
- BridgeDetroit: initial official confirmation, 10 November 2026
- ABC News: rider’s account and safety policy, 11 November 2026
Follow this story: Detroit bus horses updates.
