NJ Transit driver rescues school children stuck on George Washington Bridge

An NJ Transit bus driver is being commended for getting nearly two dozen students and chaperones off the George Washington Bridge when their school bus blew two tires Monday afternoon.

The group was waiting for a tow truck to arrive in the 90-degree heat around 5 p.m. when James Desir pulled up and, with the assistance of Port Authority police, got the group onto his bus.

Desir drove the group to the George Washington Bridge bus terminal to wait out their delay in air conditioned comfort.

A Port Authority spokeswoman said the agency did not know where the group was going or where they were coming from when they got stuck on the bridge.

"NJ Transit applauds the quick thinking actions of bus operator James Desir for going above and beyond the call of duty to assist in the communities that NJ Transit serves," the agency said in a statement.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ