No one should be threatened or abused in their workplace. Our bus drivers do an amazing job every day and should be respected for the essential service they provide. Similarly, public transport users should also feel safe when using buses, trains and ferries.

While the Bus and Coach Association welcomes the Government’s announcement of tougher sentences for offences against public transport workers, more needs to be done.

Successive Governments have spent hundreds of millions on improving safety at airports, in courts and at government agency offices and shopfronts.

“With anti-social behaviour on the increase, more needs to be done to support bus drivers who are lone workers with no immediate protection for them in their workplace other than a smile and a soothing word” said Delaney Myers, Chief Executive of the Bus and Coach Association.

Local Government contracts for these services and between rate payers and NZTA, they cover most of the cost of public transport services in New Zealand. To ensure these services are valued and well used, public confidence needs to be maintained.

“We have staff on board trains to keep passengers safe, maintain order and check fares are paid. We know it works. The limited deployments of Transport Officers to maintain a presence on and around buses has been effective – the Bus and Coach Association would like to see increased visibility of Transport Officers, security staff, police and Maori wardens to moderate anti-social behaviour before it happens”.

“A bus driver’s job is to drive the bus through busy urban streets, not maintain law and order”.

We look forward to working with the Government, public transport authorities and unions on solutions.

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