Assaults on bus drivers rising: union

Assaults on Queensland bus drivers have increased since the horrific death of Manmeet Alisher, the transport union claims.

Mr Alisher died almost instantly after he was set alight behind the wheel while stopped at Moorooka, south of Brisbane, in October last year.

The 29-year-old's alleged attacker Anthony O'Donohue is charged with murder as well as the attempted murder of passengers who were on the bus at the time.

Dozens of Rail Tram and Bus Union members protested outside the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday to raise awareness about a "wave of violent attacks" against bus drivers.

State secretary Tom Brown said 10 drivers were physically assaulted in January and February, in addition to 53 verbal assaults.

"Our figures suggest that the number of assaults is up on last year," Mr Brown said.

"The verbal assaults are particularly nasty for our drivers because they don't know what's going to happen.

"What happened to Manmeet is constantly in the back of the driver's mind that this could turn violent at any second."

O'Donohue's case will be back before the court on May 4.