Darwin bus driver spat on ‘two or three’ times this year

Darwin bus drivers feel they are powerless when handling ‘out of control’ passengers, often resulting in abuse.

UPDATE: TOP End bus drivers have revealed respect for them is rapidly declining, regularly facing “out of control” conduct from passengers.

Several drivers shared their experiences with the NT News, wishing to remain anonymous.

They said being spat on and subjected to verbal abuse was on a “weekly basis, sometimes even daily”.

One driver said he had been spat on “two or three times” this year.

He said it was only a minority of his passengers who would abuse him.

“It’s very rare,” he said.

He said bus drivers were powerless unless the government gave them some authority, and that drivers were required to stay in their seats but with security training and some authority they could handle situations on their own.

“We don’t have any authority to jump out of our seats,” he said.

Earlier this month, Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics Minister Eva Lawler introduced new legislation in parliament which would allow assault on a Transit Officer an arrestable offence.

The Opposition have weighed in on the issue of violence against Darwin bus drivers, pointing to a lack of action by the government.

Deputy Opposition Leader Gerard Maley said Ms Lawler had known about the increase in anti-social behaviour on public transport.

“Minister Lawler has known about the ongoing anti-social issues on our public transport network for years, yet she has sat idly by while bus drivers and passengers are assaulted and harassed on a daily basis,” he said

“She is completely shirking her responsibility to keep Territorians safe.”

Territory bus drivers say they have “no authority” to deal with misbehaving passengers. Picture: Floss Adams.

Ms Lawler disputed the claims and said the current Territory government had been the only government who has cared for the safety of NT bus drivers and has regular communication with the Transport Workers’ Union.

“There is a Darwin Bus Network Consultative committee which meets regularly and through this we have implemented over 20 new operational and infrastructure changes to a bus network,” Ms Lawler said.

“We know there is more it do and but we don’t sit ‘idly by’ watching our hardworking transport staff get harassed.”

Questioning during the June Estimates revealed an average of 22 incidents were being reported every day across the NT.

There were 7650 anti-social incidents reported from July 1 2020 to May 31 2021.

It comes after the Transport Workers’ Union put a formal plan to the government asking for help.

They presented a three-step plan to target education, security and driver protection.

“We want them to actually do something about it has gone on for far too long,” TWU official Barry Norton said.

EARLIER: THE Transport Workers’ Union are calling on the government to implement changes to protect Darwin bus drivers after an increase in aggressive behaviour across public transport networks.

Speaking on behalf of drivers, security, police and unions, Barry Norton presented a three-step plan.

The plan will target:

– Education: With messaging that is consistent and ongoing

– Increased security: Giving security more power to evict and punish anti-social passengers

– Driver protection screens: Screens should provide full coverage and buses should be fitted with automatic wheelchair ramps.

“We want them to actually do something about it has gone on for far too long,” Mr Norton said.

He said he was disappointed by the lack of response from the government so far.

“We have written to the Minister of Infrastructure, a couple of occasions and to date we have received no reply.”

MORE INCIDENTS INVOLVING WEAPONS

It comes after a number of incidents involving weapons were reported by drivers in the last few months alone.

“More and more weapons are being carried onto the buses, more and more incidents involving them are taking place,” Mr Norton said.

“We’ve had some very, very serious incidents since September, there has been about seven.”

In September a passenger stabbed another passenger, resulting in a bloody and frenzied scene which police allegedly refused to attend.

Another one of these incidents involved a bus driver being threatened with a hammer. The driver was set upon by alcohol-influenced passengers when he was out of the bus operating the wheelchair ramp. The windscreen of the bus was then struck with a hammer.

A female bus driver was also physically assaulted at 3.15pm in the afternoon by a passenger who punched her in the head repeatedly and spat on her.

SURVEY PAINTS A SAD PICTURE OF INDUSTRY

A recent survey of bus drivers conducted by the TWU showed a disturbingly high amount of bus drivers affected by acts of aggression.

The last 12 months alone, 90 per cent of drivers have been verbally assaulted at work and almost one in two drivers were physically assaulted.

75 per cent of drivers reported they do not feel safe at work.

Tiffany Markey was a bus driver for eight years before she quit about six months ago.

“I left because of these very reasons,” she said.

“I’ve been spat on, I’ve been verbally abused, I’ve been yelled and screamed at I’ve been showered with glass when a rock came through.”

She said she believed there had been an increase in the amount of incidents and felt for her fellow drivers.

“It’s disheartening — I feel for my fellow work colleagues who are experiencing this increasing challenge on the network. It’s, it’s appalling, really,” she said.

GOVERNMENT ACTION

Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics Eva Lawler said the government have been “listening to our bus drivers and transport workers”.

“They do a crucial job for our community – and they deserve to be safe,” she said

“A consultative committee was established to further examine safety and security issues on the Darwin bus network, and continues to meet regularly.”

Ms Lawler said she had been working to implement changes to protect the industry’s workers, and would continue to advocate for them.

“Earlier this month I introduced new legislation in Parliament which will make an assault on a Transit Officer an arrestable offence, and will enable Transit Officers to ban people from entering onto buses and bus stations, where they have behaved in an offensive, threatening, violent or disorderly manner or they have damaged property.”

“We will continue to work with and collaborate with stakeholders across government, non-government, not-for-profit and community service providers to improve public transport safety,” she said.