Newcastle bus operator Keolis Downer is investigating allegations one of its drivers subjected a vision-impaired Hunter man to prolonged abuse about his guide dog.
Paul Johns said the incident had happened when he caught a bus in Newcastle on Monday afternoon with his labrador Tate and a visually impaired friend.
He said the driver had asked him to produce a guide dog permit.
Mr Johns said he had told the driver it would take him some time to find the permit, at which point the driver started abusing him and blind people in general for "getting away with murder".
"The abuse went on for about 15 minutes all the way into Hamilton," he said.
"I got off and it really made me feel sick.
"This is the worst experience I ever had on public transport in my whole life. It makes me sick thinking about it, and I had a terrible night's sleep."
Transport for NSW's Assistance Animals Policy says "valid accreditation must be produced if requested by an authorised officer" such as police and transport officers.
Mr Johns said he had a valid permit for Tate in his wallet but vision-impaired people did not need to show accreditation to catch a bus in NSW.
"The driver was yelling at me at the door when I was trying to get on," he said.
"Because I catch public transport every day, I thought the bus driver knew me and I thought he was having a joke.
"But he said, 'You should know better, you blind people. You blind people think you can get away with anything. You expect the world. You should know better.'"
Mr Johns said he had shown his permit to the driver when he found it as the bus reached Hamilton.
"I was trying to validate myself the whole way there, and whatever I came up with he just shot me down.
"I got off the rear of the bus, which is something I don't usually do, because I was so upset I couldn't even walk past that driver.
"He was calling it a fake dog, a therapy dog. It was terrible."
Mr Johns said he had contacted a Keolis Downer Hunter customer liaison officer who helped him lodge a formal complaint with Transport for NSW.
"I've caught public transport all my life, and I've never come across a bus driver who was so abusive," he said.
"I still can't believe it.
"I had to catch the same bus on Tuesday, and I was so scared catching it in case I was going to come across that bus driver."
A Keolis Downer Hunter spokesperson said the company was aware of the incident and "grateful to Mr Johns for bringing it to our attention".
"We have apologised to Mr Johns for his experience and remain in contact with him to provide support if required and keep him updated on the investigation," the spokesperson said.
"We assure Mr Johns that we are taking this matter extremely seriously.
"An investigation is currently under way, including reviewing CCTV footage of the incident."
