The Premium Debate: Bus drivers threaten to boycott bus stop

"Frightened" bus drivers are threatening to boycott Tauranga's main bus stop. Photo / NZME

OPINION

"Frightened" bus drivers are threatening to boycott Tauranga's main bus stop after receiving death threats, racial abuse and threatening behaviour from schoolboys.

I'm not advocating a return to the "Good Old Days", but when I was at high school in the early seventies, if you were caught misbehaving in school uniform, then you could expect a visit to the staff room - bent over with your head under the shorter lockers and a cane across the backside.

We had a heck of a lot more respect for our elders, other people and their property. Actions and consequences - we are way too soft these days and the pendulum has swung too far in the opposite direction. A bit more balance between the two might be beneficial.
- Paul T

So we have about ten people (I lost count) all paid by the taxpayer or ratepayer, all saying "yes, there's a problem", and nobody is actually doing anything after several months, except thinking about having a meeting and giving a million dollars to security firms who don't have the powers to do anything. I'm shaking my head in disbelief.
- John C

If you want the public to ditch their cars and take the bus... this isn't going to encourage it. I try to avoid walking through the bus interchange as it feels so unsafe, and has done since it opened.
- Heather A

In reply to Heather A: I agree Heather, it's the same on the train - I made the mistake of catching a train into the CBD for a meeting at the same time as the school kids travel - not an experience I will ever repeat: foul language, crowding seats and fighting.
- Mags R

Why have laws, rules and standards at all if you are not prepared and motivated to enforce them? This threatening and antisocial behaviour should have been dealt with at the very beginning.
- Denis M

We walked through the bus stop area last Friday evening. There were two security guards present, they obviously know the locals and their habits. Two of these kids were writing with felt pens on the bus stop seats. My partner challenged them and it was all on for all money. I could just see it all turning bad. They are out of control, the security people smoothed it all over. Why should the ratepayer spend money on A: cleaning up the graffiti and B: paying for security staff. Time to get tough, you can see these kids are gang members in the making.
- Gail S

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