Three teenage boys face assault charges after attacking a bus driver in Oslo. The incident occurred Friday evening on the Sogn route. Police have not yet identified or arrested the suspects.
The bus driver described feeling shocked by the violence. He said he had never experienced anything similar during his career. The driver requested anonymity for safety reasons.
He works for Unibuss and was driving his regular route from Haugerud to Majorstuen. Three young men boarded at Kjelsås station. They sat directly behind the driver's seat.
One passenger asked if the bus stopped at Jernbanetorget. The driver explained this wasn't on the route. Later, the same passenger demanded faster driving to Majorstuen. The driver said he needed to maintain the scheduled timetable.
The teenagers appeared stressed and agitated according to the driver. When more passengers boarded at Sogn, one youth grabbed another passenger's jacket. The driver stopped the bus to check if everything was okay.
After speaking with the group, the driver returned to his seat. Before he could sit down, someone struck him twice from behind. He partially blocked the second blow.
The driver felt unsafe and pressed the emergency button to alert operations. He exited the bus to speak with the control center by phone. The teenagers followed him outside.
They demanded to know who he was calling. When he said it was the control center, one put him in a chokehold. Another punched him in the face before they released him and fled.
Passengers called police and recorded the incident on their phones. The driver hopes they will share this evidence with investigators. Police took him to an emergency medical clinic for examination.
The driver's wife discovered he was missing Saturday morning. She had to explain the attack to their children. She now questions bus driver safety measures in Norway.
She noted that English bus drivers sit in separate compartments. She believes Norway should adopt similar protections. Public transportation has become less safe recently, she added.
Oslo police confirmed opening an investigation. They received the emergency call around 11 PM Friday. Patrol officers arrived but found the perpetrators had disappeared.
Identifying the suspects remains a priority investigation step according to legal officials. The police western unit will handle the case follow-up.
The bus company Unibuss acknowledged the incident. Management confirmed receiving notification but declined further comment.
This attack highlights growing concerns about public transport worker safety. Many European cities have implemented protective barriers after similar incidents.