Bus injuries are becoming more common, particularly in Auckland

Bus-related injuries are on the rise and are costing ACC millions of dollars a year, but public transport operators say bus transport remains significantly safer than private cars.

ACC data released to Newstalk ZB shows bus-related injury claims reached almost $7.8 million last year and are currently on track to reach $7.4 million this year.

The number of bus-related injuries reported to ACC this year is currently on track to be 20% higher than in 2023, with larger increases in Auckland and Manawatū-Whanganui.

Injury numbers have been increasing more slowly in Canterbury, Waikato and Wellington, and have been falling in Otago and Bay of Plenty.

The data is based on the information provided by claimants on their claim form and covers all reported bus-related injuries, not just injuries related to regional public transport buses.

In the Auckland region, last year’s injury numbers were 24% higher than in 2023 and this year’s injury numbers were on track to be 41% higher.

Last year, a man suffered spinal injuries, fractures and abrasions after being hit by a bus in Onehunga town centre and a woman suffered three pelvic factures after the doors closed prematurely on her at Ōtāhuhu Train Station.

This year, a woman broke her back on a bus in Newmarket, a grandmother and grandson were thrown from the top level of a bus in Grey Lynn and an e-scooter rider was hit by a bus on Upper Queen Street.

In Canterbury, last year’s numbers were 9% higher and this year’s numbers were on track to be 14% higher.

In Wellington, last year’s numbers were 4% higher and this year’s numbers were on track to be about equal with 2023.

Public Transport Users Association coordinator Jon Reeves said several factors could be contributing to the rise in injuries.

“We’ve had a large increase in patronage on buses. However, we do have double-decker buses and there is the potential for people to have accidents on the stairwell.

“I’ve also witnessed where a bus driver has closed the doors and taken off while elderly are walking down the aisles or climbing up stairs. If they don’t have a firm grip on a handle or rail, they could fall over.”

An Auckland Transport spokesperson said NZTA data showed a person is five times more likely to suffer a serious injury or death in a private car than on public transport, but the safety of public transport users was paramount.

“On every occasion where one of our passengers is injured, we ask the operator for the footage related to the incident, using this as part of our investigation. Once we have viewed this, we can then understand what the issue was and if any retraining or driver education is provided.

“Our operators are all contractually required to provide driver education and training every year for each driver within their businesses.”

Environment Canterbury public transport general manager Stewart Gibbon said they could not provide a cause for the increase in bus-related claims.

“Our drivers/operators do a good job of reporting any incidents they are aware of; however, this wouldn’t provide a complete picture. The safety of our staff as well as our customers is always a top priority for us.”

Manawatū-Whanganui's Horizons Regional Council transport services manager Mark Read said the region had seen a huge increase in patronage since 2023 as a result of major improvements to routes and the frequency of services.

He said public transport was the safest form of transport and it took passenger safety extremely seriously.

“Any injuries reported on our services are investigated with the bus operator to understand the nature of the incident, and we are always open to feedback from the public and our operators to improve the safety of our services.

“It’s important to note also that bus-related injuries can involve a wide range of incidents, including someone being injured on a bus (for example, by another passenger or by part of the bus itself) or by colliding with a bus (for example, as a pedestrian, cyclist or motorist) in a myriad ways.”

Bay of Plenty regional council transport operations manager Simon Bell said it was encouraged by the region’s drop in bus-related injury claims, but the data did not provide enough detail to explain the change.

“Passenger safety remains a priority across the Baybus network. The regional council works with bus operators to monitor reported incidents, follow up concerns and consider whether any further action is needed.”

Mikayla Lemon is an Auckland-based multimedia journalist at Newstalk ZB. She is currently an intern from the New Zealand Broadcasting School, completing her Bachelor of Broadcasting Communications in Journalism.

Michael Sergel is Newstalk ZB’s business reporter, covering the daily life of business and the business of daily life. He’s been covering business, politics, local government and consumer affairs for over a decade.