WASHINGTON - Metro bus and train operators are being caught on a daily basis putting the lives of their passengers in danger.

An investigation by our partners at WTOP Radio found daily occurrences of Metro employees breaking the law, violating Metro regulations and in some cases, physically assaulting passengers. Records also show some bus drivers have been caught urinating on their buses.

More than 200 pages document 4,000 violations by Metro bus and train operators.

Nearly three times a day, Metro bus drivers are caught speeding as fast as 59 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour zone. Drivers have also been cited for running red lights and committing dozens of other safety violations, including collisions with pedestrians, bicycles and wheelchairs.

Metro train operators have been caught with unauthorized passengers in their cabs, failing to stop at red signals and asleep at the wheel.

Metro Board Chairman Jim Graham said, "I'm very concerned about every infraction, every violation, everything that puts a passenger or anyone else into jeopardy of an accident."

Gerald Francis, Deputy General Manager at Metro, says while troubling, the numbers don't reflect the majority of drivers.

"You looked at the ones that were caught," he said, "I look at maybe the 99 percent doing an excellent job everyday...and we have a lot of operators doing good job every day."

For riders, however, his words are little comfort. 

Metro rider Lyn Neylon said, "It's not a safe feeling, but if you have to ride the bus you have to ride the bus."  

Metro records show that in the last five years there were more than 600 incidents of distracted driving, almost 400 red-light violations, and nearly 300 speeding violations. The infractions aren't limited to safety violations

Bus and train operators are routinely disciplined for fighting with passengers, including knocking a senior citizen to the ground and punching a passenger who was holding a small child.

The records also reveal sometimes bizarre behavior such as frequent cases of bus drivers urinating into random containers on their buses. In one case, a driver relieved himself into a Doritos bag.

"We can't tolerate that," said Graham. "If we have reports of that we'll act and we'll act very sternly."

One Metro rider added, "That's just pure nasty. I'm sorry, that's just pure nasty...it's just, ugh, it's just gross."

Out of all of these violations only 18 people have been fired for them.

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