A Georgia bus driver has been caught on camera appearing to fall asleep at the wheel before careening off the highway and smashing into trees. 

Shocking video shows the moment a Metro Atlanta Transit bus driver seemed to lose consciousness at the wheel twice as he drove through the suburb of Dunwoody on September 7. 

A passenger can be heard yelling out as the vehicle barreled off the highway before crashing at the roadside as tree branches pierced the windows. 

Two passengers were injured in the crash, according to the Dunwoody Police Department. 

The driver, who has not been named, has been charged with distracted driving and failure to maintain lane. 

A Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) spokesperson told the Daily Mail on Tuesday that the driver has since been suspended. 

'The safety of our riders and employees is our highest priority, and an incident like this is unacceptable,' they said. 

'Following the incident, the operator was immediately pulled from service and will remain so until an exhaustive investigation is complete.' 

The video of the crash shows the driver appear to struggle to stay awake just after 11am on September 7. 

An automated message appears to rouse him at around 11.07am and he continues driving the bus. 

However, less than 10 minutes later, the driver seems to doze off again. His hands slipped off the wheel and folded across his chest as his head dropped down. 

Within seconds, the bus begins crossing lanes, before careening off the highway and smashing into trees at the roadside. 

A passenger can be heard yelling. Police said one person was tossed across the bus, and another managed to hold on as the bus jerked to a stop. 

Meanwhile, the motion startled the driver awake. 

He can be seen being launched forward before grabbing hold of the wheel again as the bus came to a stop in the foliage. 

It is unclear whether the driver was suffering with health or sleep issues, or whether he simply dozed off at the wheel. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Dunwoody Police Department for more information. 

If convicted, under Georgia law, the driver could face a fine of up to $50 and one point on his license for distracted driving. 

He could face an additional $1,000 penalty and three points on his license if found guilty of failing to maintain lane.