The root cause of physical crowding is an insufficient number of buses. Increasing the frequency of trips during peak hours naturally reduces overcrowding.

Modern transit systems are actively implementing measures to make bus rides better, safer, and more comfortable for everyone.

The term encoxada comes from the Catalan/Spanish verb encoxar , meaning to press or thrust. In urban slang, it refers to a perpetrator (often called an encoxador ) who takes advantage of rush hour crowding to rub their pelvis against a victim—usually a woman or younger person—without consent.

Victims of encoxada often describe feelings of terror, rage, shame, and profound helplessness. This sense of powerlessness is heightened by the environment: a crowded, moving vehicle with no easy escape route. The experience can lead to anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and a constant state of hypervigilance on future journeys. Many women alter their behavior, such as choosing longer routes, avoiding public transport altogether, or even turning down job opportunities to avoid traveling during peak hours.

The most direct solution to a crowded bus is adding more service. Transit agencies are introducing articulated buses (bendy buses) that offer significantly more standing and sitting room. Increasing the frequency of buses during rush hour ensures that passengers are distributed across more vehicles. 2. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Systems

When bystanders intervene, it changes the social contract on the bus. It sends a clear message that harassment is not a private matter but a public crime that will not be tolerated.