New drivers hoped to lift bus performance

by Louise Parry

A recent survey has shown the two Eastbourne bus routes - the 83 and 81 - are the most used bus routes in the Hutt Valley per run.

Greater Wellington Regional Councillor Quentin Duthie presented the findings at last week's ECB meeting, acknowledging "they don't tell the full story behind things".

Bus cancellations and delays, as well as overcrowding have frustrated local bus users, and Mr Duthie said the 83 bus route had been disproportionately affected by a lack of drivers.

In January Metlink was 135 drivers short. Currently that figure has dropped to 120, with 40 new drivers starting in April and more being employed in coming months; many from the Philippines.

This shortage led to one trip out of every eight 83 bus trips being cancelled in February.

ECB chair Belinda Moss expressed concern about students standing on the bus due to crowding, when they were travelling at speeds of 90kph along the motorway.

Mr Duthie said the difficulty in finding bus drivers was exacerbated not just by historical "entrenched low wages", but also by conditions. Split shifts mean drivers are often working in the mornings, have several hours unpaid where they may have to look after the cash boxes, and then work several hours in the afternoon or evening.

"Drivers are frontline public servants and they deserve the best pay and conditions we can give them," he said.

Metlink raised fares by 6 percent earlier this month, but off-peak Snapper trips now cost only 50 percent of the peak fare.

Prior to that, 55,000 passengers used the 83 bus each month on average, which made it the second most used service in Lower Hutt.

Congestion and roadworks have worsened delays. A transport advisory group is looking at solutions to restore reliability. Applications are open for two members from the Hutt Valley.

Mr Duthie said he would look into the recent unreliability of morning ferry sailings in response to a question from ECB member Bruce Spedding.

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