Adelaide Metro bus driver blow the whistle on violent consequences of fare evasion

Whistleblowers say bus drivers are being targeted by kids as young as 10 as exclusive stats reveal where the problem is worst. See the full stats.

Bus driver Mark Scrymgour who works for Busways, says he tries to avoid confrontations. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Children as young as 10 are attacking bus drivers, according to official figures laying bare a mounting crisis on Adelaide’s network that whistleblowers blame on escalating public transport fare evasion.

New Transport Department data released under Freedom of Information laws shows 149 Adelaide Metro bus driver incidents were recorded over the past two years – or more than one a week.

The FOI data showed dozens of violent attacks a year and other incidents including rock or bottle missiles being thrown – involving children aged as young as 10 – spitting, laser shining and verbal abuse. Police were called 15 times.

Almost a dozen attacks involved youth offenders, according to the state government statistics compiled since July 2021.

Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis, who revealed fare dodging was among his office’s biggest complaints, condemned “scumbag” attackers.

A separate survey, which three current drivers undertook for The Advertiser last month, showed dozens of passengers, on average, failed to pay each shift.

The trio, who have almost 60 years’ combined experience, warned rising fare evasion was sparking cowardly attacks on innocent drivers.

The worst assault route was the G10, a 23km journey between Marion Interchange in Adelaide’s south and Blair Athol in the northern suburbs.

Analysis showed the highest attacks were in the Outer South area the Busways group operates, Thursday was the worst day and the riskiest time was between 2pm and 3pm.

The whistleblowers recorded almost 350 fare evasions across Adelaide over a fortnight. While students were not counted, they estimated almost half failed to pay.

The drivers, who declined to be identified over fears of being sacked, told of their anger at wilful, and at times blatant, offending.

But confrontations carried “huge risk” to personal safety, they said. There was “very little deterrent” but a crackdown with more route guards and inspectors would help, not just at interchanges.

“The figures are pretty bad, we were all shocked at the quantity,” they said. “These are huge numbers but are only a snapshot from three drivers.

“When you think about it, on any given time there are dozens of drivers on the road so you can see it’s a huge problem. Fare evasion leads to conflict, which leads to violence.”

The state government is preparing a new network campaign highlighting “serious consequences” to fare evaders “thinking about taking taxpayers for a free ride”.

Adelaide Metro was testing special driver security screens on 40 buses but a workshop last month agreed a new polycarbonate model that boosted protection but not impeded safe driving, which will be further trialled.

Authorities estimate fare evasion costs taxpayers millions of dollars a year. Bus operators and SA Police analyse assault data to target key hotspots.

Under state law, passengers face $254 fines for failing to buy or validate a fare ticket.

An aggravated assault of a prescribed worker, which includes drivers and ticket inspectors, carries a maximum penalty of five years’ jail.

Calling for all bus screens to be fast-tracked, Opposition spokesman Vincent Tarzia condemned “low-life” attackers.

“Fare evasion is clearly out of control and is most likely a cost-of-living crisis symptom,” he said.

The worst bus route, the G10, is part of the route between Marion and Blair Athol. Picture Dean Martin

“Unless the Labor Government is prepared to fund beefed-up resources like security officers on buses, we fear this problem will continue to spiral out of control.”

Transport Workers Union SA branch secretary Ian Smith said drivers faced “outrageous abuse, threats of violence and even assaults for years”.

“More needs to be done to address the structural issues in the bus industry that lead to unsociable behaviour and dangerous incidents,” he said.

Mr Koutsantonis said “passengers doing the right thing understandably hate” evaders as he vowed “simply unacceptable” driver attacks “quite simply cannot be tolerated and must not be allowed to continue”.

Bus driver Mark Scrymgour, who works for Busways, behind a security screen on a bus. Picture: Brenton Edwards

“My young friend Mr Tarzia and I may not agree on much but we certainly agree that anyone who assaults or abuses a bus driver doing their job is a scumbag,” he said.

“We don’t however agree on the Liberals’ record on public transport safety. We’re taking steps to protect our drivers, and our taxpayers.

“Whether you pay the fine or do the time, we are cracking down on bad behaviour on our network.”

Former office worker Mark Scrymgour, 63, a Busways driver for seven years, said he avoided confrontations, which he learnt in training.

“I don’t want verbal abuse and we try and avoid that situation,” he said.

The father of two, from Adelaide’s southern suburbs, who was spat at four years ago, can immediately spot offenders who hide their face – with hoodies or masks – get on last or use large groups as cover.

“You just know already,” said Mr Scrymgour, whose route includes areas such as Colonnades Shopping Centre, Reynella Interchange and McLaren Vale.

Originally published as Adelaide Metro bus driver blow the whistle on violent consequences of fare evasion