Police have arrested a man for allegedly verbally abusing and threatening a passenger on a Newcastle bus service.
The alleged victim revealed his fears about using public transport in the Hunter amid ongoing reports of trouble on the network.
"You take your life into your own hands when you get on a Newcastle bus," he said at the time.
The passenger managed to capture a video recording the man's alleged racist and abusive rant about 12.30pm on Thursday, June 11.
He reported the incident to NSW Police, Transport for NSW and Keolis Hunter, the private operator of Newcastle buses.
Extensive investigations by the Police Transport Command led officers to attend a unit on Ocean Street at Merewether about 10.45am on Wednesday, June 17.
They arrested a 54-year-old man at the scene and took him to Newcastle Police Station, where he was charged with using offensive language in public, and intimidating with the intent to cause fear.
Police released the man on strict conditional bail to face Newcastle Local Court next month.
Police will allege the man was travelling on a bus along King Street when he began to threaten another passenger.
He allegedly continued the abuse and intimidation as the passenger left the bus on Darby Street in Cooks Hill.
The alleged victim revealed to the Newcastle Herald how he was on route 14 to Charlestown when he had a quiet phone conversation with his elderly and unwell mother in her native Macedonian language.
A man sitting nearby then allegedly erupted, hurling abuse.
"Talk your f---ing language again mate, you f---ing rude c---," the man appeared to say in the recording.
"This is Australia ... talk English instead of being a rude c---, you f---ing arrogant f---face."
The alleged victim said he was shocked and traumatised but wanted to speak out about his experience to call for change.
"I am just sick of getting on public transport and fearing for my life," he said at the time.
The alleged incident came just days after a 32-year-old bus driver was hospitalised after a passenger allegedly punched and choked him, and after a bus driver was stabbed at Charlestown in February.
