On the Buses

The TWU applauds the state government and the opposition for pushing through tough new legislation aimed at those who throw rocks at moving vehicles. The laws will make it an offence to cause fear and alarm in a driver by throwing an object at or near a vehicle. Offenders will fac…

With all the song and dance in the media about dills throwing stuff at buses and trucks you'd think some people would take the hint. At a Gloucester Park meeting of almost a thousand bus drivers in September a driver tipped us off that a so-called 'crazy bus' would be at the Royal Show. Some Sides…

Earlier this year Swan Transit ordered a private investigation into allegations of bullying, victimisation and harassment by its managers against bus drivers. The investigation was initiated after several drivers made official complaints to Worksafe and the TWU. We understand the investigator hand…

The TWU is currently surveying its members in the midst of ongoing attacks on bus Perth's drivers. Over the past week both local newspapers have run front page stories on the epidemic of violence and vandalism on the metropolitan bus network. On July 26 the Sunday Times reported, "ROCK-THROWING van…

The TWU will argue in the industrial court that bus driver Ken McMahon, who went to the defence of a female colleague being harassed by a drunken passenger, was unfairly sacked.The drunken man had just been put off the bus after he began abusing Mr McMahon who had asked him to show his concession ca…

And sticking together as one is best way to protect your jobs says KEVIN STARR Unless you have been living in a cave out the back of the Black Stump you'd be aware how the economy has taken a significant change for the worse in the last few months. So what does this mean to us and …

Agreement has been reached between the TWU and the state government on a raft of new security initiatives to protect bus drivers from increasing violence. Sadly, the agreement came too late for bus driver Gerard Sin, who lost his left eye after being assaulted at an Armadale bus stop on July 31. G…

The TWU have received stacks of calls from bus drivers and security officers about the Liberal Government's move to introduce heavy penalties for those convicted of assaulting police officers. At the most recent meeting of the Public Transport Safety Committee we asked if bus drivers and security s…

We have been receiving quite a few calls regarding ongoing defects that appear not to be fixed, but the bus is back on the road. This seems to be a problem at alldepots, but some more than others. As always, it falls back to us to do the right thing and, WRITE UP THE DEFECT. It is …

Swan Transit is wrongly advising their bus drivers. At the last Public Transport Safety Committee meeting I raised the issue of a bus driver who had been booked for pulling over in a bus stop and answering his mobile phone. You may have read my story in the last edition of union's T…