UPPER WEST SIDE — A passenger on an M72 bus attacked the driver Thursday in an effort to steal his gold chain as the bus was parked near Lincoln Center, police said.
The 66-year-old driver, who has worked for the MTA for 26 years, suffered a cut to his arm during the 7:15 a.m. struggle at a bus stop near 66th street and Freedom Place, an MTA spokeswoman said.
The attacker had been the last person to exit and confronted the driver as he stood near the bus stop, an NYPD spokeswoman said.
As the two men fought, the driver was cut on his right forearm with an unknown object, police said. It's unclear if the would-be thief stole anything.
The driver, whose name was not released, was taken to Lenox Hill Healthplex hospital and treated for a minor injury, an FDNY spokesman said.
Police continued to search for the suspect Thursday morning, officials said.
The president of TWU Local 100, which represents approximately 38,000 transportation workers, said city bus drivers are assaulted three times a week on average.