Bus driver stabbed in Yerevan taken to hospital

ArmInfo.  A driver on route 8 bus was stabbed in Yerevan. According to the press service of the Armenian Ministry of Internal  Affairs, a conflict arose between a passenger and the driver of route  8.

"According to preliminary reports, the passenger was intoxicated  and stabbed the driver. Measures are being taken to clarify all the  circumstances of the incident," the Armenian Ministry of Internal  Affairs stated.

Meanwhile, according to photojournalist Shamshyan's crime website,  the incident occurred around 10:20 PM on Halabyan Street in Yerevan.  The 44-year-old driver was hospitalized.

It's worth noting that the same website reported the day before that  bus drivers in Yerevan are being subjected to inhumane conditions,  which has also led to an increase in the number of traffic accidents  involving public transportation.

One bus driver, who contacted SHAMSHYAN.com and wished to remain  anonymous for fear of losing his job, described the catastrophic  situation in the system and expressed the drivers' perspective on the  increasing number of accidents.

According to the driver, they are simply being exploited, ignoring  all regulations established by the Labor Code. Instead of a 40-hour  workweek, drivers work around the clock; in fact, the workday is  incredibly long, from 18 to 20 hours. Shifts start at 5 a.m. and  don't end until 1 a.m., resulting in drivers, especially older men,  constantly becoming overtired and sometimes simply falling asleep at  the wheel. "In response to drivers' complaints, the same demand is  often heard: either put up with it or quit. People are forced to  drive and risk their own lives and those of others because they face  the challenge of earning a living. The situation has been further  complicated by the introduction of the new pay system, which has once  again placed all responsibility and care on the shoulders of drivers.  Furthermore, in the event of any accident, the costs of property  damage also fall on the driver. Today, drivers are asking for and  demanding regulation of their working conditions so they can work  with dignity, otherwise they are ready to quit altogether," the  driver said.

Furthermore, the situation on public transportation worsened about  two weeks ago, following Mayor Tigran Avinyan's demand that drivers  verify fare collection, as they are seriously short of funds. Buses  are constantly plagued by arguments and clashes between drivers and  passengers, with drivers standing at each stop for 10 or even 15  minutes trying to verify who has paid. As a result, drivers work  under severe psychological strain, putting their lives and those of  passengers at risk. However, the mayor is completely unconcerned, and  instead of developing enforcement mechanisms and ensuring decent  public transportation for citizens, he shifts the entire burden onto  drivers, who already work in inhumane conditions.