Around 120 bus services cut or altered under rest rule

Users of some Auckland bus services face disruption from Monday when a new law on paid work rest breaks comes into effect.

Auckland Transport, which subsidises many bus services, said around 120 of the 13,043 services operated daily will be cancelled or altered — “less than 1 per cent”.

Most of the affected services would be off-peak.

“Auckland Transport has worked closely with bus operators and unions to minimise changes to services, brought about by an amendment to the Employment Relations Act,” it said. “The changes come into effect from Monday . . . and prescribe more regular work time breaks for bus drivers. This in turns means some timetable changes, or service cancellations.”

The agency’s manager of metro services, Stacey Van Der Putten, said it was confident customers would still have many travel options.

“Our bus operators have done a great job and they have managed to keep the impact very low.

“Auckland Transport will continue

We want to keep as many services operating as possible while upholding the intent of the act. Stacey Van Der Putten

to work with the operators, along with New Zealand Transport Agency and the Ministry of Transport. We want to keep as many services operating as possible while upholding the intent of the act.”

Auckland Transport said all trips that are affected would be cancelled in the AT Metro Journey Planner system and on the website so customers had up-to-date information online and at bus stops. It hoped to publish online yesterday the full list of cancelled services.

Under the act bus drivers will be entitled to paid 10-minute rest breaks in the middle of each work period.

One union estimated that 25 to 30 per cent of bus services nationally had been on track to being cancelled.

However, the impact of the new act on bus services has been blunted by a last-minute, transitional regulation enacted by the Government, which also brokered a deal with bus owners, unions and councils.

The Government on Tuesday said the changes to the act would require employers and employees to reach agreement on rest and meal breaks. If agreement couldn’t be reached, rest breaks would be taken in the middle of a work period.

Transport Minister Phil Twyford said the transitional regulation — a land transport rule — gave flexibility to bus operators when scheduling rest breaks for drivers.