Bus drivers left unprotected against verbal abuse from passengers

[Anchor]

City bus drivers are still facing verbal abuse and harassment from some passengers.

This dangerous behavior not only threatens the safety of other passengers but also highlights the need for effective preventive measures, as there are currently no clear solutions.

Reporter Choi Wi-ji has the story.

[Report]

A passenger suddenly hurls insults at a driver who is operating the bus.

[Abusive Passenger/Voice Altered: "Do you think you're the boss just because you're a bus driver? You XX!"]

When the driver asks him to stop, the voice only gets louder.

[Abusive Passenger/Voice Altered: "You're XX! You should drive properly, you XX!"]

Another passenger, unable to watch, intervenes.

[Other Passenger/Voice Altered: "Sir, let's keep it down."]

However, the verbal abuse continued for over 10 minutes, threatening the safety of the passengers.

Judging that he could no longer operate the bus, the driver stopped the bus here and reported the passenger to the police.

The affected driver is experiencing serious psychological aftereffects.

[Affected Bus Driver: "When those kinds of people ride again when I'm driving, they remind me of that moment. I'm currently going to the hospital for counseling and treatment...."]

Bus drivers are also emotional laborers.

It has been six years since the Emotional Labor Protection Act was enacted, allowing workers to temporarily suspend their duties in case of incidents, but due to the nature of bus driving, it is practically difficult to step away from work.

[Lee Gi-tae/Certified Labor Attorney: "The follow-up measures are limited to cooperating with the procedures for reporting, and there are very few proactive preventive measures...."]

Unlike the aggravated punishment for assaults on drivers, the grounds for punishing verbal abuse are often ambiguous.

Since this is directly related to safety on the road, active preventive measures are necessary.

This is KBS News, Choi Wi-ji.