Why are people mean to Bus drivers?

[UrbanMan27]

I mean when people are driving they cut them up when it's their right of way. And then as customers they don't acknowledge them or say thank you to them when getting off the Bus! What's wrong with people? And why are they like this?

Where I live some people are horrible to bus drivers. One passenger was calling a female driver an ugly bitch, I've heard them being called stupid cunts etc. both male and female drivers. Passengers think as they are paying to travel they are paying their wages and can speak to them how they like. It's disgusting. I wouldn't do that job for all the money in the world.

And this is the problem.

You stop actually being a human being when you work in public facing roles, not even worthy of the most basic civility.

And we wonder why we have a shortage of many roles like this.

As you might guess from my user name, I used to drive buses for a living. I loved it for a while, it was a bit like being your own boss.

I left when I was spat on twice and was told I was still expected to carry the passengers who had spat on me. It was " part of the job"according to my manager. I never did carry those passengers again mind.

Most people are fine, some are great, but a significant % are just awful, perhaps 5%?

But if you carry 300 people in an average day that means you have to deal with 15 awful people. A busy day could be 500 passengers.

People smoking on the bus, getting on with their money in their mouth ( yes ,really, spit on their money in the cash tray) ,trying to avoid paying, abusing you for reasons you cannot in any way be blamed for.

This combined with zero support is why bus companies struggle to recruit and retain staff, the big companies are dreadful employers.