The shortage of bus drivers is the 'weakest link” in Government plans to reduce vehicle emissions by boosting public transport use.
That's according to Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency public transport manager Delany Myers.
Myers addressed the audience at the Bus and Coach Association Conference at Rotorua's Energy Events Centre on Monday, telling them 'the expectations for public transport have never been higher”.
She says the Government wanta to see vehicle emissions reduced by 41 per cent by 2035, and that a shortage of drivers is 'one of the biggest challenges we've got at the moment to achieving that target under the emissions plan”.
'It's the weakest link at the moment to enabling mode shift.”
Myers also says that at present when it came to emissions 'they are not going down, they're going up”.
She says the Government wants to see a 20 per cent reduction in the vehicle kilometres travelled by cars, and that it has set aside $137m over 12 years to decarbonise bus fleets.
A further $61m had been set aside over four years to attract and retain bus drivers, and she said a $50-$70m Transport Choices fund would be used to finance 'small things that make public transport more accessible for people”.
The shortage of drivers was also highlighted by Ministry of Transport senior adviser Olivia Kitson.
'The sector needs to support that by making driving an attractive career,” she says.
The trouble attracting and retaining bus drivers was also acknowledged on Monday with an announcement from Bay of Plenty Regional Council that they'd agreed up the pay to $28 an hour. Read more here.
Public transport director Greg Campbell says the approval to significantly raise the hourly wage is an emphatic step addressing the critical national shortage of bus drivers head on.
'This wage rise will attract new drivers to the role,” he says.
'Across New Zealand, public transport operators are experiencing bus driver shortages and we see this as being a critical step in the right direction towards addressing that.
'We recognise the benefit a reliable, efficient public transport network can make to a town, city and region.
'By making sure we're keeping up with what is expected and attractive to drivers in pay rates, we are confident that we will be able to lift our current recruitment situation, and in turn the contribution our networks make to growing and supporting the Bay of Plenty.”
5 comments
Hmmm
Posted on 11-10-2022 14:04 | By Let's get real
How many new environmentally friendly buses do you imagine $137 million will buy in one lump sum, let alone over 12 years...? I guess that they're planning on a purchase subsidy of a few thousand per bus for only the selected few companies that are running the generally empty fleets. How about the hundreds or thousands of 20 year old buses that run the children to school and back every day and the tour coaches and the private small operators. But it will sound good on the international stage, which is the only place that our PM cares about.
Absolute bollocks
Posted on 11-10-2022 14:48 | By First Responder
"Coal imported during 2020 was approximately one million tonnes, with approximately 800,000 tonnes used to generate electricity in 2020. "Coal imports for the first quarter of 2021 were 299,300 tonnes, with 427,000 tonnes consumed for electricity generation." So more than half of the coal used in 2020 for electricity - already the most in 14 years - was used in the first three months of 2021. The weekest link in the Government plan is they can't produce electricity for vehicles without burning coal. What produces the most emissions. Burning coal to make electricity, or driving petrol powered cars. I'm not stupid
No respect
Posted on 11-10-2022 16:15 | By Johnney
Who would want a job driving mainly empty buses around the streets just to be abused by young thugs. It you are going to get an HT licence there is no shortage of jobs driving trucks in peace.
What on Earth are you thinking?
Posted on 12-10-2022 10:39 | By LHem
Buses just aren't practical for working families, who stop for a few groceries on the way home and run their children to after school and weekend sports practice. I begrudge funding a service I don't use, because two bus changes again isn't practical! A 20 minute drive in the car takes minimum 45minutes without a changeover. Most trips have to go via town though, and that where the system falls over! In the mix of all of this, Politicians don't think twice to jump on a National flight whenever they please, have often they please! Hey.... We'll pay for it!! :(
A shortage of bus drivers aye?
Posted on 13-10-2022 07:21 | By mac attack
This couldn't POSSIBLY be due to the fact that assaults on drivers by ferals thugs go practically unpunished? No job is worth a trip to the emergency room.
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