Company looks to film drivers in speaker row

“It’s simply intolerable and makes the job unbearable at times, potentially dangerous because of distraction and with a resultant stress and anger caused by this repetition.”

Bus driver

One of Wellington’s major bus companies is threatening to turn its security cameras on its own drivers after some turned down “drip torture“speakers.

A leaked email from Kinetic Wellington general operations manager Ken Pearson to the Tramways Union said drivers were tampering with the amplifiers on the on-board announcement system. Kinetic was looking to alter the on-board cameras to point at drivers so they could be monitored.

“Over the next week if we continue to see amps tampered with, I will be instructing fleet team to commence the CCTV camera view changes,” he emailed yesterday.

“[Can] you please let your members know that if this practice does not cease by end of this week the above changes will be made.”

But an email from an affected driver, obtained by The Post , said the announcements made the ride “completely unpleasant” for drivers and passengers and one driver had likened it to “drip torture”. The new system started operating on Kinetic buses about six months ago.

“It’s simply intolerable and makes the job unbearable at times, potentially dangerous because of distraction and with a resultant stress and anger caused by this repetition,” the driver wrote.

Pearson, in an official media comment supplied by Kinetic, said the company was “delighted” to roll out the new system. A “small minority” of drivers had been adjusting the volume of the system.

“CCTV cameras are in place on-board our vehicles primarily as a safety measure for our drivers and travelling public,” he said.

“They can also be used to monitor any malfunctioning or interference of our on-board technology and features.”

The new system was put in after consultation with drivers and the Tramways Union, he said.

Union secretary Kevin O’Sullivan said the union was consulted and it advised Kinetic to reduce the volume – which Mana bus services did without issue.

“We have been told, ‘it’s not your problem’,” he said.

He was meeting with the regional council today to discuss the turning of the cameras towards drivers, as well as finding out why the volume could not be lowered.

Greater Wellington Regional Council transport chairperson Thomas Nash said the public address system was a requirement to be compliant with disability rights and started being rolled out across all Wellington buses about six months ago. Every commuter bus would eventually have the system.

He acknowledged it had been a “point of tension” for drivers but said the volume was chosen “very carefully”. He did not want to comment on Kinetic turning its cameras on drivers.

Metlink assets and infrastructure senior manager Fiona Abbott said the PA system was tested with drivers and further adjustments, such as turning off the speaker above drivers, had been made.

“We have since raised concerns with Kinetic about the volume of announcements being lowered by some of its drivers and helped them understand the impact this is having on our commitment to improving accessibility on our services,” Abbott said.

“However, as this is an employment matter, we cannot comment further.”