Union asks for more support after attack on bus driver

September 24, 2021

Tramways Union president Gary Froggat said more police officers are needed on buses to dissuade attacks.

The Tramways Union is calling for more support from multiple parties to keep their bus drivers safe after a violent and unprovoked attack on one of their own in Auckland on Wednesday.

Police revealed on Thursday a man has been arrested and charged after allegedly dragging the driver from his seat to the aisle before he was struck multiple times.

The driver was transported to hospital from the scene in Great North Road in a critical condition.

Tramways Union president Gary Froggat told Breakfast on Friday the driver is now reovering from his injuries.

"He's currently in a stable condition but it's going to take some for him to recover," Froggat said.

Wednesday's attack is the second time the bus driver had been attacked in a month; a grim reminder of the current dangers bus drivers are facing, Froggat said.

"We've been inundated with calls about [other bus drivers'] concerns," he said.

It comes as police confirmed there have been 35 incidents of abuse and aggression towards Auckland bus drivers during the most recent lockdown.

Froggat said the union are calling for more support from both police and Auckland Transport to drive that number down and keep bus drivers safe.

A bus driver at the wheel.

"We think there should be more Auckland Transport officers riding the buses," he said.

"We're also calling on Next Capital who own NZ Bus to provide personal safety workshops as we think that will help the situation but we're not getting a great deal of support from NZ Bus in relation to our safety concerns."

Froggat said NZ Bus' response has been vague at best, with the company saying they're keen to address the issue but there has been little action to back those words up.

All the while, more assaults have taken place.

"It's lucky we don't have more [assaults across New Zealand] given the thousands of trips that are run every day.

"[Drivers] work long shifts - sometimes 14-hour days - and they're always worried about who gets on their bus."

Auckland Transport chief executive Shane Ellison told 1News in a statement Thursday he was "appalled and hugely upset that there has been another assault on a bus driver who was just doing their job".

"Bus drivers are an essential way of keeping our city moving and they should not be subjected to harm under any circumstances."

Ellison said AT is working closely with police to "put an end to this abhorrent behaviour" through an increased police presence on and around Auckland buses.

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