HOUSTON -- The Houston Metropolitan Transit Authority has changed its policy to fire any bus driver who is caught texting behind the wheel, Local 2 Investigates reported on Monday.

"When I can prove an operator was using a cell phone while operating a METRO vehicle, that's a very serious decision on their part because they're giving up their job," METRO Vice President of Operations David Feeley said.

Internal METRO records show 363 complaints since January 2008 for drivers using their cell phones while driving. Records show 70 drivers were suspended and three were fired because of those complaints, including some that spelled out the fear being felt by passengers on those buses.

A sample of the complaints against bus operators:

"The driver has a drink in one hand and is answering text messages with the other."
"We're on the I-45 South HOV lane and the driver was texting the whole time."
"Driver was texting someone on her phone.  The driver almost hit a few people."
"The driver was using her cell phone to text messages.  We have enough safety problems without this."
"The driver is trying to text on his cellphone while driving, and not paying attention to the road, and nearly ran into a telephone post twice.  He was driving erratic."
"Operator was texting on his cell phone while driving and occasionally looking up to see what's in front of him."
"The driver was texting with her cell phone while driving and was swerving."
"Making sudden stops and swerving; caller states driver was putting his head down several minutes at a time to text while driving with one hand."
"Customer states that the driver was sending text messages while driving.  The customer states that this was the scariest ride she has had on METRO."

Several customers complained that bus drivers missed their stops or narrowly avoided crashes while texting behind the wheel.

Two complaints even focused on METRO employees operating a METRORail train:

"The entire time I was on the train, the operator was using his phone.  He was on his Bluetooth and text messaging.  His head was down at times and I don't think that's safe."
"Patron stated that she got on train and the same train operator she complained on before is still doing the same thing she complained on the last time.  She stated that the operator is still using his phone while train is in motion and she feels that this is unsafe."

In July, METRO changed its policy from an automatic suspension to termination, partly because of a texting crash that was recorded with onboard surveillance in San Antonio.  In that crash, the driver is seen looking down while texting for several seconds. He looks up and slams on the brakes, but then crashes the bus into two stopped cars. Glass and car parts are seen flying into the air as the driver pounds his hands on the dash in anger.

Feeley said, "I think the public is becoming aware of the serious safety concerns, and they're starting to pay attention.  Hopefully, our operators and employees will pay as close attention."

Feeley said METRO bus and rail operators are being forced to turn over their personal cell phone records when a complaint is received. If the driver denies texting while driving, those records are being checked to see if text messages or phone calls really were in progress while the bus or train was in motion.

Local 2 Investigates found that texting while driving is a tough habit to break, even when people know they could get in trouble for it.

Hidden cameras were placed in the cars of three Houston-area teenage drivers, ages 16 to 18, with their parent's permission. The kids were even told that Local 2 Investigates had placed cameras inside their cars to record their driving habits.

One 18-year-old was checking her phone and sending text messages during much of her trip in a pouring rainstorm. A 16-year-old was seen on several occasions, glancing down and pushing buttons to check for any new text messages while driving.

A 17-year-old girl was recorded composing one text message as her car covered most of a city block. Her message ended just before an abrupt stop at a stop sign. Her mother, Karen Miniutti, watched the Local 2 Investigates' video and immediately said she was removing text messaging options from her daughter's phone as a result.

"She's aware of the risks involved," said Miniutti. "I was confident she wouldn't text and drive, but I'm concerned she has been texting while driving."

She had even discussed texting and driving with her daughter, while also watching an online dramatization video with her. That popular public service announcement portrays a group of teenage girls getting into a violent and bloody car crash, with one of the passengers being killed because of texting.

While Miniutti said she was glad the hidden cameras found her daughter avoiding the phone for most of her trip, she said even one text message is enough for her child to lose text messaging privileges.

"An accident can happen in less than a second," she said.