ATLANTA -- A MARTA bus driver has been suspended after insisting that his riders hold hands and pray with him before getting off the bus.

The incident happened on Nov. 3 around 7:30 p.m. as the bus made a stop on Indian Creek Drive in Atlanta.

MARTA Spokesman Lyle V. Harris told CBS Atlanta News that LeRoy Matthews, who has been a driver with the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority for six years, was suspended without pay for five days for his behavior.

Harris says MARTA was notified of the incident the next day by one of the three passengers on the bus, who said that the prayer lasted between four and five minutes. That passenger didn’t specify what the prayer was about.

A MARTA official then contacted Matthews, who admitted that he had asked his passengers to pray with him.

Harris said he has no knowledge of any other similar complaints against Matthews.