Bats out of hell | Auckland News | Local News in Auckland

Rebecca Blithe steps onto the rollercoaster ride that is Auckland's bus service. But why the rush? She finds out.

I just want to get home in one piece. But as I board the bus it's quickly apparent a cheap imitation of Dreamworld's Lethal Weapon ride is also on offer.

Before I can even spy a seat, the bus lurches forward and I am catapulted ungraciously into the lap of an unimpressed woman. As I scramble to a seat, the driver bullies the bus back into Queen St's heavy traffic, ignoring angry toots and one-fingered salutes. He spots a gap in the throng of cars and boots the bus into gear, only to slam on the brakes 10m on. We've come within an inch of a Suzuki's backside.

Full of people (Auckland Regional Transport is sure to get its "patronage quota"), this is a busload on high alert. White knuckles clench seat frames in front, concerned eyes dart from fellow passengers to the road ahead. An elderly man who needs a little longer to exit than most has his coat-tails bitten as the door snaps shut.

He reaches the kerb and we're off again, a rollercoaster roaring down the road, revving and jerking. I press the buzzer to end the ride.

Feeling a little queasy from the involuntary convulsions, I reach my stop and gladly get off the bus. As it barrels away into the night, brake lights flashing, I'm left wondering: Do bus drivers think they own the road? Do they have complete disregard for the comfort of their passengers?

A former bus driver for NZ Bus, Raja Ganeshan, says "no" to both allegations.

The problem is not drivers with bolshy dispositions. It is the challenge to meet timeframes allocated to complete journeys.

"There is no excuse for driving erratically. But that's why some drivers do. Everybody's just trying to be on time.

"The training we get is really good and we are given enough tools. But that's in practise. It's the strict timetable that's the problem. We have to keep up with it and finish the route by a particular time. If a driver's losing time, he can't go to the toilet."

Mr Ganeshan has driven the bus run from Lynfield into the city. He was allowed 40 minutes to complete the one-way trip.

"That's doesn't sound so bad - but  factor in traffic, loading people on and off, roadworks, cyclists, passengers fumbling with change - it's not enough time."

A spokesperson for NZ Bus says safety comes first and drivers are not punished for being late. "The safety and security of our customers, who take 55 to 66 million trips each year on our services, is an absolute priority for us. In no way do we encourage drivers to drive in an unsafe manner, or penalise them for late completion of a trip."

However, Mr Ganeshan says a driver must still report to the control centre if they are running over time. "When you're speaking over the intercom and all the other drivers can hear you saying you're late, you feel guilty. You feel pressure."

Mr Ganeshan, who now runs his own Shuttle Bus company, says when he began he was a panicky driver with a heavy foot.

"It wasn't until a senior driver said to me, 'Don't look at the timetable. You need to make sure the passengers are safe and that you're safe'."

Mr Ganeshan says traffic has increased in the past decade but he has seen little change made to the amount of time allocated to drivers.

"What's made it worse is linking a bus lane with a cycle lane. We're already in a rush and now we have someone doing 10km/h in front of us."

A spokesperson for the Auckland Regional Transport Authority, who works with bus companies to set timetables, says reviews are undertaken when contracts are renewed.

Regular timetable reviews can also be undertaken at the request of operators to the authority while satellite tracking also allows regular reviews.

Ride a complaint

If you've had a rough time on a bus trip, you can complain on the MAXX helpline.
Call (09) 366 6400.