Bus driver accused of grabbing passengers hair, HSR investigates

HSR staff and police are investigating after photos were posted online that appear to show a confrontation between a Hamilton bus driver and a passenger.

“We are aware of the altercation that took place yesterday between an HSR Operator and one of our customers and are currently investigating the matter,” said city spokesperson Jasmine Graham.

The images were posted Tuesday on Facebook by 19-year-old Sierra Johnson and have been shared more than 900 times.

Johnson says she was heading home from a doctor’s appointment with her toddler son on the 23 Upper Gage bus when the incident happened.

She says the driver told her and the women in front her they needed to have student identification to use their bus passes or they would have to pay an extra 30 cents or provide two student bus tickets. Johnson says the women complied and got onto the bus.

Johnson claims the situation escalated when the driver began yelling at her sit down and get off the phone. Sierra called HSR to complain.

She says the driver proceeded to miss another passengers stop and then got off of the bus to make a phone call.

“The bus driver got off the bus and was freaking out, so everyone started to follow with her. The one girl that got attacked asked her are you serious, I have an interview to get to, I gave you two bus tickets and she just grabbed her by her hair and tried swinging her around.”

The bus driver claims she was the one that was assaulted and has filed a police report.

The woman who’s hair was being pulled in the photo didn’t want to talk to the media, nor did the bus driver who colleagues say was still quite upset.