With the world becoming modernized, sustainable transport systems with an emphasis on public transport are being implemented. Despite the right to movement and freedom from degrading treatment being considered fundamental rights in Sri Lanka, incidents of occupational deviance among bus workers are common in Sri Lanka. These include selective boarding, balance fraud in ticket issuance, aggressive driving, verbal disputes, and physical assaults against commuters. Since this behavior threatens safe, accessible, and sustainable transport systems, this study was conducted to identify the relationships between occupational deviance and commuter rights, gender, and institutional response. Conducted between October and December 2025, this employed a quantitative research design, with a stratified sample of 384 passengers from Galle Road (A2). After obtaining informed consent from the respondents, data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS. Multiple regression analysis revealed that balance fraud and commuter demanding rights are significant predictors of verbal aggression (R² = 0.64, p < 0.001). Moreover, selective boarding between 22:00 and 04:00 and the presence of male young adult commuters served as a significant cause for physical assaults (F (2, 381) = 18.42, p < 0.001). Finally, a systematic accountability deficit was identified, with 84% of respondents reporting complaints being redirected, while the binary logistic regression revealed the probability of taking an action was statistically negligible (p < 0.05). Based on the above findings, it can be concluded that Galle Road bus transportation operates with the normalization of deviance, the violation of commuter rights, and inefficient redress mechanisms. Therefore, a systematic change with occupational liability to pick up passengers, introducing a demerit system, and a centralized digital complaint system will be working solutions. Further research should examine the condition in other corridors, including roads, with comparative studies to identify international best practices.