Metro Tasmania: Nearly 60 bus services cancelled due to ‘driver sickness’

Hobart bus drivers are “considering walking off the job” as safety issues and sickness cancels services, frustrates commuters and has the union calling for an urgent forum to fix the “death spiral”.

Metro Bus Picture: Linda Higginson

HOBART bus drivers are “considering walking off the job” as safety issues and sickness cancels services, frustrates commuters and has the union calling for an urgent forum to fix the “death spiral”.

More than 45 Metro bus services were cancelled on Monday and Tuesday, with another 15 scrapped on Wednesday, with the transport co saying it was due to driver sickness.

But a former Metro bus driver told the Mercury the issues plaguing the state’s public transport system were bigger than a few sickies.

“It might be sickness but a lot of it is safety related,” the driver, with more than a decade experience, said.

“I heard two drivers were spat on on Monday ... and was told that they’re all considering walking off the job.

“They don’t turn up for shifts, they sit in their cars not wanting to start and go home on lunch breaks and don’t come back.”

In October, the Mercury reported some drivers were afraid to go to work after a rise in assaults and anti-social behaviour, with Labor and the bus union saying more than 100 Metro drivers had resigned since January.

The former driver said these incidents were still happening, despite assurances months ago action would be taken.

“These kids are running rampant and Metro just say pick them up,” he said.

“They get on, terrorise the passengers, threaten the drivers and Metro don’t give a s--t.”

Rail, Tram and Bus Union secretary Ric Bean said Metro was in “a death spiral” that urgently needed fixing.

RBTU state secretary Ric Bean. Picture: Kenji Sato

“The signs were there, they have been for more than 18 months,” Mr Bean said.

“We have been seeing ongoing issues with antisocial behaviour and (employees) leaving but Metro just put their heads deeper in the sand.

“They need more support from the government to enhance security for drivers and passengers who aren’t confident catching a bus.

“(Metro) have now decided, and we support it, to introduce some training for drivers to diffuse situations, but that’s a small part of the broader answer.

“We need security present, security screens.

“We need an in depth forum with all stakeholders across the board.”

He said with Tasmania currently “being a jobs market” it was easy for drivers to find jobs elsewhere when they aren’t being compensated enough.

“Anyone considering driving a bus, they’re looking at the roads, the conditions, what they might be in for like antisocial behaviour and there’s a lot of responsibilities among the threat of physical and verbal abuse,” Mr Bean said.

“Our drivers are just not paid enough.”

Metro CEO Katie Cooper apologised for “any inconvenience and difficulty caused by service disruptions”.

Metro Tasmania CEO Katie Cooper. Picture: Chris Kidd

“Like many employers in the transport industry, Metro has had a shortage of bus operators, which has been exacerbated this week due to sickness,” Ms Cooper said.

“Metro is actively recruiting bus operators with a class currently in training and two more training schools scheduled for the first quarter of 2023.”

While she did not confirm details, Ms Cooper said they had “referred the recent instances of anti-social behaviour to Tasmania Police and are working closely with the authorities to investigate the incidents and identify the offenders”.

“Metro takes very seriously any incident that subjects bus operators to aggressive and unacceptable behaviour,” she said.

“We are committed to making the workplace safer and providing safe public transport services for our customers. We expect all our employees, customers to be treated with respect and be free from harassment.

“We understand the difficulties that anti-social behaviour causes for bus operators and our customers. It is not an issue we can resolve in isolation and are doing everything we can with a wide range of stakeholders across law enforcement, government, community groups, schools and an internal program to tackle this extremely difficult social issue.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff said “there will be discussions” around Metro’s cancellation of services this week.

“... my understanding is a high level of sickness amongst employees has caused a challenge, a logistical challenge, and of course Metro are working through these issues,” Mr Rockliff said on Wednesday.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“We are happy to play a role in terms of our state government as well, but we understand the need to get those services working as effectively as possible and of course we would love to see staff come back to work as soon as they are able to.”

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor meanwhile has blamed the debacle on “the Rockliff Government’s mismanagement of Covid”, again calling for the reinstatement of masks on public transport.

“Every Tasmanian business and family has been hit by Covid over summer under the force of the fourth Covid wave,” Ms O’Connor said.

“Government policy is forcing mass infection. This is now impacting on workers and the local economy.”

Last month, a government spokesman responded to Ms O’Connor’s plea for a return of the mask mandate after Treasurer Michael Ferguson tested positive for Covid, saying the government “at all times followed the public health guidelines”.

Last week, Public Health reduced Tasmania’s Covid risk level from moderate to low, with authorities seeing on average fewer than 400 cases of Covid-19 per day in the state and are not seeing many cases in hospitals, aged care facilities and workplaces.

There is no current Public Health directive for people to wear masks, but those at risk of severe illness are asked to consider wearing one in crowded indoor spaces.

Not running: Dozens of Hobart bus services cancelled

TASMANIANS are being encouraged to get on public transport to reduce traffic congestion.

But the cancellation of more than 45 services on Monday and Tuesday has left commuters frustrated.

Metro advised on Monday it would not be running about 15 services into Hobart city and back out to the suburbs.

The situation was repeated on Tuesday with another 30 taken off the road.

All were at peak morning commute times.

Metro Tasmania has cancelled a number of services due to driver sickness. PIC: MATT THOMPSON

A Metro spokesman said the company apologised for any inconvenience and difficulty caused by the service disruptions and more drivers were in training.

“The bus operator shortage experienced on Tuesday was due to a high number of unplanned absences due to sickness,” he said.

“Metro has taken steps to address the shortage.

“Metro is actively recruiting bus operators with a class currently in training and two more training schools scheduled for the first quarter of 2023.”

The following trips will not run this afternoon, Tuesday, January 24:

Route 541 OUT @ 14:45

Route 502 IN @ 14:55

Route 448 OUT @ 15:15

Route 407 OUT @ 15:35

Route 624 OUT @ 15:42

Route 448 IN @ 15:45

Route 408 IN @ 16:06

Route 625 IN @ 16:17

Route 562 OUT @ 16:22

Route 510 OUT @ 16:33

Route 501 OUT @ 16:52

Route X20 OUT @ 16:57

Route 429 OUT @ 17:30

Route 665R IN @ 17:36

Route 510G OUT @ 17:45

Route 504G OUT @ 18:03

Route X50 OUT @ 18:05

Route 530 IN @ 18:15

Route 408 OUT @ 18:30

Route 540 OUT @ 18:34

Route 511G OUT @ 19:03

Route 427 IN @ 19:04

Route 503G OUT @ 19:05

Route 503G IN @ 19:19

Route 542 OUT @ 19:19

Route 504 OUT @ 19:33

Route 504G IN @ 19:48

Route 503G OUT @ 20:19

Route 542 IN @ 20:35

Originally published as Metro Tasmania: Nearly 60 bus services cancelled due to ‘driver sickness’