The completion of Auckland’s driver safety screen programme is a huge milestone for the city and for the safety of the drivers who keep the public transport network moving every day.
Protective screens have now been retrofitted to 1,080 Auckland buses, around 80% of the Metro fleet, as part of an 18-month programme from Auckland Transport, Auckland Council and the Government. Ritchies was pleased to play a leading role at the end of 2024 with the first rollout of screens in 50 buses operating from our Takanini and Albany depots.
The initiative was developed with practical input from drivers and union representatives into the design and their help has ensured the screens provide protection without affecting visibility, safe vehicle operation or communication with passengers. For Ritchies, the programme has been about more than fitting equipment. It was about listening to drivers, understanding the situations they face and helping develop a solution that worked for those areas where passenger behaviour requires additional measures.
Protective screens provide a clear physical separation where challenging or volatile situations arise, helping drivers remain focused on safely operating the bus and looking after their passengers.”
Safety built into the fleet
Retrofitting the existing Auckland fleet has been an important step, but driver protection is also considered when new buses are designed and ordered. Protective screens form part of a broader suite of onboard safety technology that can include:
- live and recorded CCTV;
- driver duress and communication systems;
- collision-avoidance and pedestrian-detection technology;
- lane-departure warnings;
No single measure can remove every risk associated with antisocial behaviour. Protective screens are most effective when supported by driver training, effective incident reporting, responsive operational control and wider network safety measures. Early indications are that the screens are having an impact.
At an event to celebrate the project completion Auckland Transport has thanked drivers, operators and the Auckland Council and Government for their support and funding. https://at.govt.nz/about-us/news-events/media-centre/2026-media-releases/keeping-bus-drivers-safer
You can read more on how Auckland Transport is working with bus operators to keep passengers safe: https://at.govt.nz/bus-train-ferry/staying-safe-on-public-transport
(Left to right) Mayor of Auckland Wayne Brown in November 2024 with Auckland Transport’s Stacey van der Putten, Dean Kimpton and Ritchies CEO Michele Kernahan. (Image: supplied)
