Beating on PVTA bus raises concerns about rider, driver safety; transit officials say violence is down

SPRINGFIELD — A young PVTA bus rider was captured on camera pummeling another passenger repeatedly with an object, the sound of the blows resonating throughout the cabin.

Among the group of teens, at least two girls can be heard taunting the unidentified victim during the incident just after 2:30 p.m. on March 13.

"Awww he's crying. You want me to call your mommy?" one says.

"He's a grown-ass man arguing with a bunch of kids!" another teen tells the driver, who eventually orders them off the bus that had come to rest near Court Square.

"They're beating the white guy!" another observer yells while laughing, the footage shows.

Some observers believed the assailant was pistol-whipping a man, but a police spokesperson said the weapon was a bottle.

No arrests have been made, police said.

The victim has a disability and was unable to make an identification, but the incident remains under investigation, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the matter.

Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

An official with the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority — which recently began offering state-paid free fares — said crime isn't up alongside the greater numbers of riders.

"We have tracked incidents involving operator assaults for several years and have seen a significant decline, with combined physical and verbal assaults decreasing by more than 50% over that period," said PVTA spokesperson Brandy Pelletier.

"We also monitor incidents involving passengers. While physical assaults are rare, they do occur occasionally; in recent years, these incidents have remained low—typically fewer than 10 annually — and are generally minor in nature," she said.

Pelletier did not address the March 13 incident specifically or whether the agency had turned internal bus video over to police. However, she did say the authority works with law enforcement regularly.

"When criminal activity occurs, PVTA staff coordinate with local law enforcement as appropriate to address the situation promptly," she said.

The voice of the PVTA driver can be heard on the video ordering everyone off the bus.

"All PVTA operators receive training in managing onboard incidents. While responses may vary depending on the situation, in some cases the safest and most effective course of action is to stop the vehicle, open the doors, and clear the bus," Pelletier said.

She also said PVTA maintains a "zero tolerance" policy in terms of riders' bad behavior, which could result in a temporary or permanent ban.

Increases in state funding have allowed the PVTA to offer free fares to all riders. The program was piloted in 2022 to 14 regional transit authorities to boost public transit use. Passengers need not present IDs to ride.

Gov. Maura Healey's proposed budget includes $30 million for Fare Free service as part of a $110 million transit funding package.

The location of the incident has been corrected to near Court Square.

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