Bus driver safety is now at the top of the agenda with the bus companies finally acting on our members’ serious safety concerns. Extensive media coverage has exposed the serious dangers faced by bus drivers on an all too regular basis.

This follows an escalating series of violent attacks on bus drivers commencing at the start of March: with a machete attack, a knife threat, two robberies and a bottle throwing attack which sent a bus driver crashing into a bus stop, all in a period of two weeks.

“Our members who have faced these dangers first hand have handled them professionally and calmly and I commend them for that,” TWU State Secretary Wayne Forno said.

“The calibre of driver we have in our membership is very high: throughout these violent attacks they prevented their passengers getting hurt.

“I extend the support of the union to all drivers who have been impacted by these attacks.”

On 15 March bus drivers at Westbus and Busways stood together in solidarity and declared suburbs within the Mount Druitt areas where the latest spate of attacks occurred too dangerous to drive in.

“Due to our members’ persistence, the next day bus companies put guards on these routes in the evening; and negotiations will now continue between the Ministry of Transport, the Union and the bus companies as to long term safety measures such as security screen options and training for drivers in dealing with conflict.”

Talks are ongoing and we will keep you updated.

Check out media coverage on the issue:

Buses in west get a man riding shotgun
Sydney Morning Herald

That’ll do us - Western Weekender Online
NSW Transport Workers Union State Secretary, Wayne Forno, said a long term security solution is yet to be reached for local Westbus drivers. ...