Big Brother watching city buses

a sprained ankle and the fear of it happening again.

On days when he took the bus, Neall said he had noticed drivers speeding through suburban areas of the city. ‘‘You have to hold on for dear life.’’ But Neall said it wasn’t all bad, with one of the drivers he dealt with being particularly friendly and helpful.

He said the cameras would also benefit drivers by safeguarding them against aggressive passengers.

Massey University student Sam Pike said bus drivers would occasionally cut people off, but he thought the stress of the job probably affected them. ‘‘It’s not always their fault.’’ The bus drivers he dealt with were really friendly and installing cameras would make them safer for everyone, Pike said.

Du Plessis said it was often hard for passengers to gauge the exact speed of buses.

‘‘If people sit in the bus, how do they know the driver’s speed?’’

GPS units installed in the buses monitored speed and any problems were sorted with the drivers, du Plessis said.

Usually there were about two complaints about drivers each week, he said.

To combat stress, Tranzit made sure drivers took regular leave and attended health and safety meetings, du Plessis said.

The cameras would provide full coverage of the bus interior – along each side, the front and back doors, as well as the road ahead of the driver.

They would help with complaints about vehicle standards and driver behaviour, as well as passenger inquiries about items left on buses, he said.

‘‘This new initiative is to enhance the overall customer service and passenger experience.’’

Every week, about five wallets, two sets of keys and items of clothing are left on Tranzit buses.

Although some complaints were about driver behaviour, du Plessis said there were also a lot of ‘‘he said, she said’’ disputes that could easily be cleared up once cameras were installed. ‘‘It’s quite a powerful tool.’’ A common argument was passengers claiming they were being shortchanged, he said.

Horizons Regional Council transport manager Phil Hindrup said Tranzit had 16 complaints in June.

The cameras would help Horizons assess timetable complaints and deter questionable behaviour, such as theft from cash boxes – of which there were about three in the past year, Hindrup said.

‘‘We are pleased that Tranzit are investing in the services to improve customer experience.’’

‘‘They are not giving me any space. They are cutting in front. You feel yourself getting sucked in to the bus.’’

Jordan Neall