Physical Danger
"The Wheels on the Bus" is such a merry tune, but actually driving a bus is not always so merry. Aside from potential accidents, bus drivers face the real possibility of physical danger at the hands of passengers. One does not need a car to dish out road rage. Some passengers board the bus in a snit and anything the driver does or does not do is cause for combative, even physical, confrontation. Just like any other unsuspecting rider, the driver has little control over such menaces.
The Amalgamated Transit Union (the transit union for the United States and Canada) is working on a campaign to reduce violence against bus drivers. Possible changes to increase safety might include: silent alarms, the elimination of operator enforcement for such things as fare payment, a greater police presence aboard buses, and de-escalation training and procedures (source).