A Rotorua bus driver feared for his life as a passenger held a knife to his throat and tried to steal cash, a union representative says.
The bus driver was not physically injured in the Tuesday morning attack.
First Union organiser Graham McKean said the driver picked up a young man wearing a hoodie and a facemask on Wrigley Rd, Fordlands.
"He hopped on the bus and they travelled for two stops before the passenger pulled the cord to stop the bus," McKean said.
"There were only the two of them on board at the time. As he came out and approached the driver he put a sharp metal knife hard up against the driver's throat and tried to take the cash box.
"There was a scuffle. The driver started to panic, got concerned about his life essentially."
It is believed the offender made off with cash. He was last seen running down Ford Rd.
McKean said the driver was shaken and "quite upset" but back at work.
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Advertise with NZME.Bus drivers were just trying to do their job and threatening their lives was unacceptable, McKean said.
"People should know about this guy. You just can't have stuff like this happen. [The driver] was affected emotionally and afraid for his life."
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A Rotorua bus driver advocate said the behaviour of people in some pockets in society was rapidly deteriorating and she was worried that a bus driver will be seriously hurt.
The driver advocate, who cannot be named, said the robbery was, in her view, an escalation of abuse and assaults local drivers were already experiencing, "especially when you have people who are struggling".
"People who are on drugs - not saying this particular person was - but when they become desperate for money, they will do desperate things," she said.
"Bus drivers in Rotorua have been assaulted before but never with a weapon. This has been happening for about two or three years but hasn't been widely reported. Certainly, people see bus drivers as a source of easy cash."
The driver said she felt bus drivers may need perspex cages in future, likening such a transition to that of bank tellers who now operated in similar environments.
"Caging the drivers is a horrible thing to have to say but that's what I think," she said.
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Advertise with NZME."We all want to go home safe at the end of the day."
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The driver said the situation was especially sad as drivers often did the job because they liked helping people and contributing to society.
"Make no mistake, bus drivers won't be doing it for the money. They're there for the people."
Ritchies provides Rotorua with 11 buses, which cover most of the city's urban routes.
Ritchies national health and safety manager Kurtiss Pihema said they were "very grateful" the driver was not injured.
"He's been offered counselling and may want to take that up later but for the moment has reassured us that he's fine," Pihema said.
"Thankfully this kind of incident is not at all common but we are very concerned that this has happened."
Pihema said any business where employees worked with members of the public had risks and it worked to manage these.
"Our drivers are very caring people who have the safety of their passengers in mind. As a result of this incident we have issued a safety alert as a reminder to our teams. "
Police were now appealing for information from anyone who was in the area of Ford Rd near Sunset Rd at 7.25am on Tuesday.
The alleged offender was last seen running down Ford Rd towards Bellingham Cres, a spokeswoman said.
If anyone has information that could help, they are asked to contact police on 105 and quote file number 220705/9713.
