Abuse and harassment on city buses is reaching a tipping point in Thunder Bay according to members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 966 in a presentation to council Monday evening.

“Transit operators…your frontline workers, are under attack.” opened President Fred Caputo. “Operators are having to deal with physical assaults and verbal assaults. This includes being sworn at,  spit at, called derogatory names, pushed, grabbed and having liquids thrown at them, simply for performing their job.”

Caputo adds these incidents are also being carried out upon riders, and many are choosing to avoid transit altogether as a result.

Financial Secretary Ken Koza says this isn’t a new issue, as it has been getting progressively worse year after year.

“Now we’re at this point where it’s very difficult to find a solution. But basically, I just feel we need people on the street helping us.”

Council has now directed staff to come back with a report on the issue in October, with the option of an interim report to be delivered at the end of summer.