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This weekend, Auckland Transport (AT) is celebrating and recognising the thousands of Auckland bus drivers who get you to where you need to go every day, safely and reliably.
Sunday, November 16, is the fourth annual Bus Driver Appreciation Day, and as a united show of appreciation, AT is encouraging passengers to thank their driver or let the bus go first if you are in a vehicle on the road.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown says he keeps well informed of bus driver issues through his friend and union leader, Gary Froggatt.
“I am very supportive of the bus driving fraternity, as they are humble, hard-working people who deserve our respect and support.”
Auckland Transport chief executive Dean Kimpton says bus driving is often a thankless task, but it shouldn’t be.
“Rain or shine, they ensure we get to our destinations. Their hard work and commitment make Auckland a more connected, accessible, and vibrant place for all.
“While AT doesn’t employ bus drivers directly, we definitely appreciate that our network couldn’t operate without them, and we really hope passengers will show their appreciation too. A little thanks goes a long way, whether it’s a wave, a thumbs up or a simple thank you.
“We’d also like to thank our bus operators and the unions representing Auckland’s bus drivers for their ongoing support of Auckland’s awesome bus drivers”, says Kimpton.
“The teams at Bayes, Fullers360, Howick and Eastern, Kinetic, Ritchies and Tranzurban, and union organisers and delegates, help keep our city moving, and we’re grateful for the work they put in behind the scenes to support our drivers and customers.”
There are more than 2,600 bus drivers across six operators in Auckland, servicing up to 230,000 trips every weekday, across 187 routes.
And a little bit of kindness doesn’t go unnoticed. One thing that all drivers have in common is that they enjoy welcoming their regular customers on board their bus.
Peter has been driving buses for 42 years and says a personal touch makes the job more welcoming.
“My favourite thing about passengers is when they get on in the morning, they say ‘good morning’ and ask how my day is going, and when they hop off, they say ‘thank you very much’.”
Peter’s thoughts are echoed by Unga, who says driving a bus is just the best.
“I love meeting new people every day, especially the elderly ones. Maybe because I miss my grandma, but I just love chatting to them and helping them get on and off the bus.”
This year, AT is doing something extra special to give a shout-out to bus drivers.
Using their bus tracking technology, AT can sync a bus’s GPS to display the driver’s name and a thank you message on billboards in real time as they pass key routes.
