Antidote NZ

Laidlaw has said this is bus contact to be proud of. So far its looking like a crock and totally undermining Laidlaws credibility.He should do the decent thing and offer his immediate resignation. Nothing less is acceptable after the comment noted above. This is a total failure of leadership.

Tranzit market themselves as a family business while operating outside the law at the expense of Hutt Valley families. Driver fatigue means unsafe work practice and endangers passengers.

Fair enough, too. I wouldnt be happy working those hours.

really? best you name the companies because there are strict rules around drivers driving times. log books are required for very good reasons

I feel sorry for the drivers. The whole implementation has been a shambles. At the end of the day its the Wellington Regional Council that need to cop the flak for this. Folks the time is right to vote and get rid of that public parasite Laidlaw.

yep, who really wants to see an overtired, unfamilliar driver send a double decker through a red light, or into another vehicle? only a matter of time...

Had a bus service that took me direct to town. Now have to change buses. I challenge Chris Ladlaw to come and use the Vogsltown route once in the morning and once in the evening for a week - tiny bus shelter for the change over.. And BTW Idont apperciate the BS in GWR info drop about the old buses having to navigate the narrow streets because it worked for 70 years and FYI the buses on new route are ust the same size as has always been used. And finally why would you want drivers to work 14 hour days, because that is how accidents happen. FAR OUT! GWR!!!

This was always going to happen.Drivers concerns were ignored over the last couple of years by GWRC which steamrolled through this contracting process.All drivers wanted was the ability to negotiate terms and conditions which would have made for a seamless transfer to other bus providers. The very people providing these services were ignored.I laugh every time Chris Laidlaw complains of a driver shortage.

Im not at all surprised its come to this. The bottom line I feel is that the regional council has not the expertise to have meddled in all this. Also, to my mind, the drivers union should have been to the forefront of any discussions to change timetables or conditions of work. Comments and statements Ive seen from the management on the changes seem to be condescending and arogant!

All the erosion of workers rights over the years is finally coming to a head. Employers have had it too easy for too long. Their profit at all costs mentality is not sustainable. When you hire people you are partly responsible for their livelihoods. You have a social contract to not abuse that power but the majority of companies nowadays treat employees and disposable, faceless numbers on their spreadsheets. Fully support the drivers right to strike until balance starts swinging back

The Wellington bus service is at a complete shambles.

The buck for this fiasco must stop with the GWRC - and the regions ratepayers and electors should remember this mess when the next local body election comes around.

When councils tender contracts one of the terms should be that the successful tenderer has to pay the living hourly wage to employees as a minimum. That would make it an even playing field for tendering companies going into a tender. Sadly Laidlaw distances himself from the issue by saying its between the employer and employee. Total cop out! Councils should show leadership on low income wages.

This isnt unexpected. A regional council where the staff and the councilors seem to be incapable of even the faintest degree of competence when it comes to public transport. Bus routes not working properly for commuters, regular unscheduled maintenance of trains (and at least one train missing a couple of carriages on the Upper Hutt line each day), and now we have striking bus drivers. Now I know why the Greater Regional Council has so many car parks allocated to them at the eastern side of Wellington Railway Station. They cant handle the consequences of their own stupidity.

Every other major city in the world nailed public transport 25 years ago. Why because we leave it to local govt who simply lack the imagination and drive to create an effective business model that can actually deliver a person from A to B and back. #nzembarrased.

Check out the work time and log books rule. Drivers must have a minimum of 10 hours continuous rest in any 24 hour period, and therefore their maximim of 13 hours work (plus 2 x at least 30min rests) must be completed in not more than 14 hours continuous.

Yes, if look at the LONG shifts that were published on STUFF last week, MANY of them were -SCHEDULED to be just short of 14 hours, by a few minutes ! In the real world traffic delays, etc, will result in 14 hour plus, actual working hours on a regular basis.The simple fact is that many drivers are being scheduled to work shifts, that on a regular basis WILL go beyond 14 hours. AND it is the DRIVER that gets the traffic offence notice/fines/demerit points. NOT the company !! OH, the driver does have an out - at 14 hours, stop the bus & park it, tell the passengers that as his 14 hours are up, he is NOT driving any further - its against the traffic laws, call the company and tell them that he is not prepared to drive against the traffic laws and that they need to provide: 1. another bus for the passengers, and/or 2. a driver to collect the bus.

The predictable outcome of the route tendering system, that won tranzit the wellington services, working drivers longer and paying them less for their efforts, unsurprisingly the chair of the GWRC Chris Laidlaw has done a Pontius Pillate on what he unleashed on the wellington travelling public, motivated only by cost, over quality and reliability, the union is to be congratulated for its stand over this matter of drivers working these ridiculous hours, in the interest of public safety.

Worked long hours here and Aus. Would drive to site then work an 8-12 hr day then have to drive back to home or accomodation. Sometimes up to 16+ hr days with driving. This has changed in the last 5 years, dropped to maximum 12 hr days with driving. Thought of this as inconvenient until I lost a awesome colleague who died driving home after a 12 hr day to fatigue. Certainly dont want our bus drivers doing more than a 10 (preferably 8) hr shift a day. Driving requires concentration, and they have more than their own life at risk.

Listened to silky weasel words from Laidlaw on morning report. Not enough drivers, all going to Australia, pasifika drivers going home, going to drive trucks....blah blah blah. Nobody on the other end of the interview asked Mr Smooth why they all appear to have disappeared within a week. The WRC are the ones that chose the operator, they are the ones who need to front. Shameful performance!