Qld’s bus crash crisis: Tired drivers ‘pressured’ to skip breaks

As the state reels from a spate of horror bus crashes, a union has levelled shock claims about driver conditions. SEE THE TIMELINE

Brisbane bus drivers will be put through more stringent performance and health checks in the wake of a review into a fatal CBD crash that claimed the life of 18-year-old pedestrian Tia Cameron.

It comes amid claims tired drivers are being pressured to skip lunch breaks when running behind schedule, with the transport union revealing a marked increase in driver abuse and assaults following the fatal crash.

The Brisbane CBD bus crash that killed 18-year-old pedestrian Tia Cameron. Picture: Steve Pohlner

The Courier-Mail can exclusively reveal an independent report commissioned by Brisbane City Council after the incident has recommended changes to the health assessment framework for Queensland bus drivers aged over 60.

The Drivers Skills Monitoring Process Review, which has been passed on to the state government, recommended several future intervention strategies including increased health assessment of drivers aged over 60.

Other strategies included psychometric profiling in future recruiting, more frequent and regular monitoring of driver behaviours and performance, and changes in rostering to reduce driver hours and impacts of non-regulated fatigue.

Ms Cameron died after a Brisbane City Council bus mounted the footpath on Edward St in the city, pinning her against the Anzac Square arcade building just after 5pm on March 8.

The driver Lindsay Frances Selby, 70, has been charged with one count of driving without due care and attention causing the death of Ms Cameron.

The case will next be before court on September 4.

There have been several other bus crashes resulting in deaths and injuries in Brisbane and Queensland in the past few months.

The Courier-Mail has been told that in the aftermath of the March 8 crash at least 10 bus drivers were temporarily stood down by council over minor incidents, including side mirrors clipping trees or power poles.

Rail Tram and Bus Union Queensland secretary Tom Brown said four workers remained stood down and were being “further schooled or disciplined”.

Mr Brown labelled the council response an over-reaction.

“We’ve gone through those cases one by one and most of these drivers are back on the road … an accident is an accident … if it’s a one vehicle accident at a very slow speed, it can be trained out of (bus drivers),” he said.

“(Council) was barking up the wrong tree with those drivers, they weren’t putting anyone in danger.”

But transport committee chair Ryan Murphy said council made no apology for standing down drivers with a poor record, and the union’s claim it was overreacting was an “absolute disgrace”.

“We promised Tia’s family and the residents of Brisbane that we would undertake an independent review and learn any lessons from this tragedy, and that’s exactly what we are doing,” he said.

Rail Tram and Bus Union state secretary Tom Brown. Picture: Liam Kidston

“This report looked at all the international evidence and how Brisbane’s buses were performing against relevant laws, as well as community expectations and it found we were performing well.

“However the report did recommend regular health assessments for drivers aged over 60 so we have asked the state government as the regulator to consider this finding.

“As a result of the report’s findings, we will also look at ways we can better use technology to monitor and evaluate driver safety on an ongoing basis.”

Mr Brown said bus drivers were hyper-vigilant following a spate of crashes incidents involving drivers over the age of 60.

He said an already tired workforce were often pressured to skip their lunch breaks or return to work early if they were running behind schedule.

“Bus drivers, and certainly Brisbane City Council bus drivers, only get one meal break,” he said.

“Drivers are (now) in a heightened state of alert and that brings on fatigue quicker.”

Asked whether he supported reduced driver hours, recommended in the review, Mr Brown said the union wanted at least one additional break for bus drivers.

“(They need) 10 to 15 minutes so they can switch the bus off, get a cup of coffee and take some fatigue countermeasures, reset the fatigue clock,” he said.

But council said: “Rostering provides a minimum of 40 minutes and a maximum of 55 minutes for a meal break … a break would never be less than the legislated 30 minutes.”

The Demographics Group co-founder and director Simon Kuestenmacher said 60 per cent of Queensland bus drivers were at retirement age or near retirement age compared to just 20 per cent of the state’s population.

Council transport committee chair Ryan Murphy

Mr Kuestenmacher said the nature of the transport industry including the emergence of self-driving vehicles had made bus driving an unattractive job for young people.

“It is an extremely ageing workforce,” he said.

The average age of a Brisbane City Council bus driver is 52, which is below the Queensland (56) and national (55) average, according to council

Mr Brown said drivers were not given enough time to get from point A to B, putting them almost immediately behind schedule.

An e-scooter rider was rushed to hospital after being struck by a Brisbane City Council bus on April 23. Picture: Channel 7

Mr Brown said driver abuse and assaults, including spitting and object throwing, had increased following the death of Ms Cameron.

“The level of abuse has gone up since these incidents …(bus drivers) feel like their every move is being scrutinised by management, by the media and by the public,” Mr Brown said.

“The general consensus among drivers is ‘what’s next?’ … They are hyper vigilant, doing checks to make sure that nothing is faulty … if any faults are found they are advised to not take the bus out by the union.”

Mr Brown said he supported ongoing training for bus drivers.

“Bus driver authorisations are not handed out willy nilly, they have to go through the hoops to get that,” he said.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads currently requires drivers of “heavy rigid” vehicles such as buses to undergo annual medical assessments from age 75.