What legal duty of care does a public bus operator owe to passengers under Florida law?

Under Florida law, public bus operators are classified as common carriers and owe their passengers the highest degree of care, diligence, and foresight. This heightened standard requires bus operators to take comprehensive precautions to prevent passenger injuries during boarding, transit, and exiting. When an operator causes injuries through excessive acceleration, turning too fast, or executing a severe and unnecessary stop, the transit agency can be held legally accountable for negligence. The Altman Law Firm examines onboard video footage, maintenance files, and electronic event data recorders to determine whether the transit operator breached this elevated standard of care.