Did a teenager really drive a New York City subway train with passengers in 1993? Verified. We checked — and the verdict is TRUE.
In May 1993, a sixteen-year-old named Keron Thomas posed as subway motorman Regoberto Sabio, gained access to the driver's cab of a New York City A train, and operated the train in full revenue service for over three hours — with paying passengers on board. He navigated the entire A line before a gap in service alerted supervisors. Thomas was eventually apprehended and charged. The impersonation worked because he had studied subway operations obsessively and obtained a uniform. The incident exposed serious gaps in the MTA's security protocols. Official records and subsequent court proceedings confirm the core details: one teenager, one stolen identity, one very long unauthorized train ride through New York City.