Northern Territory bus drivers say they're concerned for the safety of passengers amid an "intensively" worsening problem with violence, property damage and anti-social behaviour across Darwin's bus network.
Drivers, their families, passengers and members of the Transport Workers Union came together on Sunday to rally for "urgent, increased and committed" safety measures for Darwin bus drivers and commuters.
John Woloczij, who has been driving buses in Darwin for eight years, said the problem has become "intensively worse" in the last 12 months.
"I've never seen so many assaults, and assaults at interchanges — on drivers, passengers," he said.
"I talk to some of our regular passengers … they don't want to catch the bus anymore, they're not willing to let their kids catch the bus anymore.
Violence against bus drivers has been a long-term issue in the territory, but Mr Woloczij said drivers weren't just worried about their own safety.
"We have concerns for the passengers."
He said drivers were "getting close" to considering strike action.
"We've lost a lot of good drivers and there's still a lot of drivers thinking of leaving," Mr Woloczij said.
"The whole industry, if it keeps going the way it is, could come to a screaming halt because there's no drivers.
"No drivers, no buses, no services."
Calls for safety measures
TWU Branch Secretary Ian Smith said drivers were demanding urgent measures including new safety screens on buses.
He said perspex screens have been fitted on some buses for a trial beginning this week.
"They need a safety screen that allows them to do the job safely without fear or favour of being spat on, punched, hit …threatened with a knife," he said.
"We're pleased to go and have a look at a prototype on Monday to see where that's going."
Mr Smith said the network is also in need of more transit officers, of which there are currently 19.
"We've been asking for seven, eight, nine, 10 [more] — the number until it's safe," he said.
"They can intervene before [an incident] escalates into something more serious.
"That's what's been occurring, little actions happen … and all of a sudden you've got a full-blown fight or a driver in trouble because he's got a busload of passengers that is out of control."
Greater powers for transit officers
New legislation, which came into effect last month, allows NT transit officers to issue bans to problem passengers on the buses, at bus stops and at bus interchanges.
The amendments to the Public Transport (Passenger Safety) Act also give transit officers the power to arrest people for offences like assault and property damage.
Transport Minister Eva Lawler, who spoke at the rally on Sunday, said the NT government has also committed to putting on additional transit officers and security guards.
She would not comment on the number of new workers to be added to the network, saying it was an "operational" matter.
Ms Lawler insisted Darwin buses were safe, but acknowledged there had been a spike in incidents on the bus network in the last year.
"Really it's been probably this year we've seen an escalation in incidents and I think that reflects the antisocial behaviour that we've seen in the community," she said.
According to the most recent statistics from NT Police, property damage has seen an increase of 20.6 per cent across the Territory over the last year to July, whereas assaults have gone up by 2.15 per cent.
