Across Australia, bus drivers and passengers alike are grappling with the troubling trend of anti-social behaviour and assaults on buses.
Once considered relatively safe spaces for commuting and community interaction, buses have increasingly become the scene of verbal abuse, physical threats and even violent attacks.
For many drivers, going to work now means bracing for potential confrontation. It’s a daily reality that weighs heavily, especially for those operating late-night or suburban routes.
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In cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, public transport unions report growing concerns from their members. Data from Transport for NSW shows that reports of physical attacks on public transport have risen more than 80 per cent between 2022 and 2024, with buses accounting for a significant portion.
Verbal abuse has skyrocketed, rising over 184 per cent in the same period, while physical threats have increased 85 per cent.
Assaults on drivers and fellow passengers are becoming more frequent, often triggered by minor disputes such as fare evasion, overcrowding, service delays or intoxication.
Bus Industry Confederation (BIC) national technical manager Dean Moule told ABC the continual steady rise in anti-social behaviour is a significant issue for society, and public transport is a “soft target”.
“Even with extensive onboard CCTV systems and driver de-escalation training, our industry still sees alarming increases in driver assaults – in most cases doubling over the past five years,” Moule says.
“Bus drivers are the backbone of our industry, providing an essential service and transporting 40 per cent of Australians to their destination every day. However, they don’t benefit from the same protections as essential workers, which set robust deterrents for offenders and make drivers feel safer.
“No one should feel unsafe in their workplace.”
In a submission to the parliamentary inquiry on Options for Essential Worker Housing in New South Wales last year, the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) urged the NSW government to broaden its definition of essential workers to include those in critical transport sectors like buses, waste management and road freight.
Under the state government’s current definition of essential workers, only employees from health, education, police, fire and rescue and justice are included.
Moule says other states should follow the Northern Territory’s lead after the jurisdiction introduced new legislation in October last year that protects bus drivers by ensuring minimum mandatory sentences for cowardly assaults on front line workers.
Efforts to combat anti-social behaviour on buses are primarily driven by state and territory governments. In response, transport authorities and unions are pushing for a multi-pronged approach to address the problem. One key measure is the installation of more surveillance cameras, panic buttons and protective barriers around drivers.
Recently, South Australia has installed approximately 940 protective screens on Adelaide Metro buses to shield drivers from violent and unruly passengers. While the screens were anticipated to be installed in all Adelaide Metro buses over the next four years, the SA government announced the initiative has been fast-tracked, with network-wide installation now set for completion before the end of 2026.
While this is a step in the right direction, Moule says implementing these screens across the country is proving to be a difficult process.
“Fitting full driver screens to provide physical barriers against physical attacks is possible, however, the regulatory process to fit them is slow and unnecessarily expensive. This is cause for urgent improvement,” Moule says.
“BIC, along with key stakeholder members, has been working with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) to better refine the screen fitting process.”
Tasmania’s Metro bus drivers are the most recent to receive the added protection, with the $2.1 million safety screen project receiving an exemption to ensure the screen’s design meets strict safety standards.
“The BIC is near to releasing a guide geared to simplifying and standardising the fitting of screens. This member-led endeavour is at the global forefront of driver protection and, yet again, highlights the industry solving industry issues,” Moule says.
While other states have implemented its own campaigns and protections, such as Victoria Police’s STOPIT service, Dean and BIC believe more can be done to protect staff and passengers.
“The BIC believes that the following two measures will go a long way to stemming the rise of assaults, beyond being deterrents and physical protection, as no single action can be a solution,” he says.
“The re-elected federal government must work with industry to fast-track and simplify pathways for vehicle screen fitting.
“State and territory governments must reclassify bus drivers as essential workers or set tougher penalties as a matter of highest importance.
“The time for action is right now.”