Customer relations at the TTC took a turn for the worst Wednesday after a bus driver was arrested for assaulting a passenger.

An 18-year-old man was shoved during a fare dispute, breaking a window on a Lawrence Ave. W. bus near Bayview Ave., police said.

Police say the confrontation began around 10:45 a.m., when the teen failed to present a student card with his fare. The driver put the bus out of service, leaving only the teen and a friend on board.

The alleged victim, Ricardo Jardim, told CTV News the driver had told the other passengers to get off the bus and then challenged Jardim to hit him.

“Before I knew it, his hands were wrapped around my neck and my head smashed on to the glass,” he said.

The assault charge is the latest setback for the TTC, which has been trying to climb out of months of bad publicity that began last year with a fare hike, followed by service interruptions, token hoarding and charges from management of a culture of worker complacency. Rider anger reached a fever pitch when a photo of a fare collector dozing in his ticket booth went viral.

The union responded earlier this month by announcing a series of town hall meetings to discuss customer service. The next “Let’s Talk” session between TTC riders and workers is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday at Stephen Leacock Collegiate Institute.

TTC spokesman Brad Ross said Wednesday’s altercation was caught on the bus video and will be sent to police.

“We have protocols in place when there is a fare dispute between a customer and an operator,” said Ross.

He said records show one to two assaults on employees every day. “Even when that happens our employees are discouraged and not permitted to retaliate.”

Jardim’s injuries are described as not serious.

“These are very serious allegations that have been levelled,” said Ross. “Our operators are hardworking and do care about customer service — despite news in the last several months.”

Typically, TTC workers are the ones facing harassment and abuse from the public, according to the union. In fact, that was one of the reasons the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 organized the town hall meetings.

“We want a better relationship with our customers because frankly, it’s hell out there right now,” president Bob Kinnear said last month.

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The union has declined to comment on Wednesday’s incident.

Bereket Hagos, 30, has been charged with assault.