Shortage of drivers hits bus services

More than 1200 bus services were cancelled in Wellington in March alone, as Metlink struggles with a driver shortage.

At 1.2 per cent of all services, it is the highest number of cancellations Wellington has seen since Covid-19, but still well below the 1500 cancellations a month seen in late 2018 and early 2019 and linked to controversial network changes.

Metlink general manager Scott Gallacher said the network needed at least 50 more drivers to run optimally.

‘‘I want to thank all passengers for their patience as we continue to work with our operators, and I want to assure them that we are taking every necessary action to turn around this disappointing trend of cancellations,’’ he said.

Greater Wellington Regional Council voted unanimously yesterday to formally endorse a plan to fund all bus drivers in the region to be paid at least the living wage, in an attempt to remedy the driver shortage.

The regional council will split the cost with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency to provide additional funding of $1.85 million per year to allow bus operators to top up all driver wages to at least the living wage. A total of 318 drivers, or more than half of bus drivers in the Wellington region, are currently being paid a base rate less than the living wage.

‘‘That seems to me to be basically unfair. When we think about the job of a bus driver, it’s a hard job, it’s a skilful job, it has high accountability for public safety,’’ regional councillor Roger Blakeley said.

Bus passengers face disruptions with a six-hour union meeting on Wednesday, April 14.

Gallacher said the meeting, from 9am to 3pm, would not affect school services but would impact off-peak services.