Charges laid in 2 Hamilton bus driver assaults

Four people have been charged in connection with two separate bus driver assaults over the weekend on HSR buses.

The first assault took place when a driver was picking up passengers at a stop at Mohawk Road and Milbank Place around 9:45 p.m.

The driver told local transit union president Budh Dhillon that the incident started when he asked a five people to pay the proper fare.

The group then pulled the driver out of his seat on the bus and dragged him onto the sidewalk, police said. One of them hit the driver with a chain, Dillon says.

The second incident took place around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, when police were called about another assault on an HSR driver.

A woman on a city bus in the Greenhill area realized she had gotten onto the wrong bus and demanded the driver stop and let her off.

She then threatened him and threw a cup of coffee onto the bus driver, police said.

"This is an issue across North America," said Don Hull, director of transportation with the city of Hamilton. "We're attempting to deal with it, but it's on a national level as well."

Hull said HSR does have a policy in place that drivers can waive fare collection if they think charging it might lead to an assault.

"We do have a zero tolerance policy for driver assaults," Hull said.

Installing cameras on city buses might help the issue, Hull said.Cameras on buses were part of HSR's 2011 work plan.

However, HSR "couldn't get to it," and implemented automated stop announcements instead. The cameras might be installed in 2013, he said.

Arrests were made in connection with both assaults on Sunday.

Police arrested and charged two youths and one adult in connection with the first assault around 7 p.m.

Police also arrested a 32-year-old Hamilton woman in connection with the second assault and charged her with assault, uttering threats and drug possession.