A Winnipeg bus driver who was trying to deal with an unruly passenger, was assaulted by the man who dragged him out of the bus, police in the city say.

According to police, the incident was reported to them around 5 p.m. CT, Wednesday.

They said the bus driver, a 41-year-old man, had minor injuries following the assault.

"The driver was operating a city transit bus at approximately 3:30 p.m. in the area of St. Mary's Road and Riel Avenue when a male suspect entered," police said in a news release about the incident, issued Friday. "Immediately after taking his seat, the suspect began verbally harassing passengers."

The driver asked the man to stop, but the verbal harassment continued.

Then, while stopped in the area of Main Street and Broadway, the suspect approached the driver and spit at him.

"He then took hold of the driver and pulled him out of the bus and began assaulting him," police said.

The driver was able to push the suspect away, get back on the bus and call police.

The suspect ran away.

The driver was taken to hospital, treated and released. Police are looking for a man in his twenties.