Washington State Transit Insurance Pool and Island Transit have announced that bus operator Jim Caveness of Greenbank is a recipient of the statewide “Above & Beyond Award.”

The award is for recognition of a public transportation employee who goes “above and beyond” the requirements of their job. Caveness was chosen because he was at the scene of an accident where a young man was hit by a car, and he provided assistance to the hit bicyclist and the driver.

Caveness says he doesn’t expect any kind of award or attention.

“I just did what I had to do,” he said. “I made sure he was stable and did the best I could.”

Caveness moved his bus to block traffic from coming into the lane where the young man was lying face down on the street. He covered the bicyclist with his vest to keep him warm.

The driver was hysterical, he said, and he got her to sit down and tried to calm her down.

“I told her it was going to be okay,” he said.

He stayed at the scene until emergency response vehicles we able to arrive, and he helped direct traffic.

It’s the fourth accident that he’s been a witness to, Caveness said. Fortunately for the injured parties, Caveness used to be an EMT for Snohomish County as well as a search-and-rescue volunteer.

He said if one is an accident, he’s not such a bad person to have on the scene.

“Because I don’t panic,” he said.