Security Essential for Transit Bus Drives

September 15, 2016 
By Stephanie West, LaborPress USA

Washington, DC – Every year, dozens of transit bus drivers are assaulted. Drivers have been punched, spat upon and verbally abused. Assaults often erupt over fare disputes  Many with mental illness ride busses.


When a bus driver opens the door they never know what to expect. The first priority must be the operator's welfare, physical and mental health.

Federal law funding transportation calls for safety measures to decrease and prevent attacks on bus drivers. President Obama's $305 billion Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act — a wide-ranging federal law funding transportation — calls for safety measures to decrease and prevent attacks.

Airline pilots are locked in the cockpit during flight following the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Light-rail operators are enclosed in the front car of trains. Taxicabs often feature a partition to protect drivers from violent  passengers. Only bus drivers  are left vulnerable to attack.

One solution pushed by many transit worker' unions involves redesigning buses to add a safety door on the drivers left. This could  provide a driver with a quick exit. Petitions should also be an option. Camera placed in busses provides some security. Security buttons to police should also be considered.