Add Category
In short:
Bus Queensland has declined to hire safety officers despite being offered government funding to do so.
The network officer program was designed to crack down on violent and anti-social behaviour on buses.
What's next?
The Transport Workers' Union has asked the government to review the company's taxpayer-funded contract.
One of Australia's largest bus companies has repeatedly refused to hire security officers to protect its passengers and drivers despite being offered government funding to do so.
Translink has confirmed that Bus Queensland has on three occasions refused to accept a deal to hire network officers, despite the positions being fully state funded.
The Network Officer Program is part of a $60.7 million state government scheme to crack down on fare evasion, violence and anti-social behaviour on the riskier bus routes.
Bus Queensland has not responded to ABC Radio Brisbane's repeated requests for comment.
Former Bus Queensland driver Terry Russell said he felt as though the company was not prioritising the safety of its workers.
Mr Russell said he was spat on, punched in the chin and had a knife held to his throat while working as a driver for Bus Queensland.
He said the assaults left him fearing for his safety, and in December 2022 he quit his 11-year career as a bus driver.
"That clinched it for me; I wasn't going to continue being assaulted and paid low wages," Mr Russell said.
"It made no sense to go on as a driver and perhaps lose my life."
Translink 'disappointed'
A Translink spokesperson said Bus Queensland participated in a trial for customer service officers, which eventually became the Network Officer Program.
However, the spokesperson said Bus Queensland failed to consistently retain the eight officer roles that were allocated to it during the trial period.
They said Bus Queensland only had one officer left towards the end of the contract who could not even be deployed because officers were required to work in pairs.
They said Bus Queensland's agreement ceased on April 24, and the company declined to renew the contract heading forwards.
"Translink engaged with Bus Queensland about transferring to the new network officer program on three occasions, however Bus Queensland declined the opportunity to negotiate on the new contractual framework as other bus operators have chosen to do," the spokesperson said.
"The Queensland government is disappointed Bus Queensland has chosen to not participate in the transition to the network officer program."
Union request
The Transport Workers' Union has written to Transport Minister Bart Mellish to request the government review Bus Queensland's contract with Translink.
The union's director of organising, Joshua Millroy, said the company had failed to manage its network officers or take the program seriously.
Mr Millroy said he understood Bus Queensland did not wish to employ network officers because of the administrative burden and implementation costs involved.
"It is clear that this company does not care about the safety of its workers and it does not care about the safety of passengers on these routes," Mr Millroy said.
The union's national secretary, Michael Kaine, said Australia's bus industry was plagued with a spike in assaults, driver shortages and cancelled runs.
"Bus Queensland is in crisis, it can't fill the positions it needs to fill, it can't do the runs its needs to do, and its cancellation rates are through the roof and no wonder," Mr Kaine said.
Mr Mellish said his department would investigate any concerns around Translink's contracts.
"The Miles Government backs Queensland's hard working bus drivers," Mr Mellish said.
"[The Department of Transport and Main Road's] Director General will investigate any claims or concerns about contractual issues."
Leaked documents also showed that Bus Queensland turned down government funding that would have gone towards wage increases for its own workers.
Get local news, stories, community events, recipes and more each fortnight.