Taiwan bus driver bursts into tears after passenger accuses him of missing her stop

A bus driver in New Taipei City, Taiwan was filmed bursting into tears after being accosted by a passenger who had missed her stop.

The pair argued over who was at fault, with the woman insisting she had pressed the bell while the driver claimed she did not.

The incident, filmed by another passenger on the bus, was posted on social media on Apr. 24 and sparked widespread discussion over the stress faced by bus drivers.

Incident

In a 30-second clip on X, the passenger, clad in a blue shirt, could be seen arguing with the driver at the front of the bus.

Taiwanese media reported that she accused the driver of not stopping the bus at her stop, despite pressing the bell.

The driver, meanwhile, grew increasingly agitated as he insisted the woman failed to indicate it was her stop.

In a shocking moment, he suddenly slumped his body over the wheel while wailing loudly, "Why are you bullying the driver? You clearly did not press the bell!"

Upon witnessing this, the passenger was heard apologising profusely.

According to the passenger who filmed the incident, the passenger had initially softened her stance, saying "never mind" while continuing to insist she had pressed the bell.

The driver then asked other passengers to demonstrate pressing the bell to prove that an indicator light would be lit when done, before asking them to judge the situation.

He also reportedly mentioned he suffered from a heart disease.

Other passengers in the bus comforted the driver after he broke down, said the video poster.

Psychological stress

Taiwanese media SETN News said that the driver has since been provided with psychological counselling and told by his company to take time off to recover.

The video drew online attention over the cause of the driver's outburst, with many expressing their sympathy.

One commenter suggested that the "pressure is really overwhelming" for drivers.

"If you have to deal with difficult customers all day, your emotions are definitely going to break down," they wrote.

"This isn't just about the old lady; it might be something that's piled up over time," another said.

"I think it's okay for not only bus drivers but also others in the service industry to show their emotions this much when dealing with rude customers!"

Top images via haruotpe/X