Some attacks on transit drivers: Assaults often sparked by fare spat
Winnipeg transit bus driver Irvine Fraser died in hospital early Tuesday morning after being seriously stabbed by a passenger at the last stop on a route to the University of Manitoba. Union leaders across the country have voiced concern for years about attacks on transit drivers. A common reason is a dispute over fares.
Here are some attacks on bus drivers in the last 10 years:
August 2016: A video posted online appears to show a Winnipeg driver fighting back after being spat upon over a fare dispute. The driver leaps from his seat, pursues a man outside and attempts to tackle him. The man, who is later charged with assault, attempts to grab the back of the driver’s head and knocks off his sunglasses. A union spokesman says there needs to be a different way to collect money from passengers.
August 2015: A bus driver in Delta, B.C., is hit in the face with bear spray by a man who boards without paying. The man runs off and threatens to spray a citizen who gives chase. A suspect is arrested 14 months later on the SkyTrain and found with drugs, an extendable baton, a butterfly knife and a set of brass knuckles. He is charged with various weapons offences.