The first women-only bus in Zhengzhou, Central China's Henan Province rolled out on Tuesday aiming to curb the number of groping incidents from male passengers during the summer months.
Local men, however, are calling the bus discriminatory and insulting.
The special bus on route 906 will run through August 7 during morning and evening rush hour. It is marked with "women only" signs and complete with plush toy décor, Dahe Daily reported.
Officials said the bus is intended to protect women on the often crowded route when the hot weather sets in.
"Female passengers wear less in summer ... and are targets for harassment on crowded buses," said Kong Chaoping, Party chief with the local bus service.
Many female commuters welcomed the move, adding that the bus would also help mothers feel more relaxed about breastfeeding in public, the paper reported.
But some local men raised objections, as a viral video uploaded on social media reveals.
"This is discrimination. The bus should be for the public … what about us elderly people? Aren't we men human beings too?" a local man shouts at one of the bus drivers after being refused entry, the footage shows.
"Sexual harassment is rare," said an interviewed male passenger surnamed Li.
"This is making a mountain out of a molehill and will embarrass most male passengers," he added.
