Hundreds of Hobart students have arrived late to their first day of school for the new year after bus operator Metro cancelled over 78 routes today due to ‘driver shortages’.
On an already stressful day for parents, the transport company failed to pick up students and commuters from stops around the city, with upset parents voicing their opinions online.
One called Metro ‘a mess’ and asked for an explanation, while another simply said “Great f*****g job Metro Tasmania.”
The reduced services affect inbound and outbound trips to suburbs including Glenorchy, Lenah Valley, Bridgewater, Brighton, West Hobart and more.
The cancellations were posted on Facebook by Metro alongside an apology to bus users, however to see the cancelled routes users needed to visit the Metro website – which was offline and unreachable multiple times this week, returning a ‘down for maintenance’ message.
The driver shortage has caused disruptions over the past year, exacerbated by increased sick leave related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Concerns have also been raised that ‘abusive behavior’ from passengers is affecting many drivers’ ability to work.
The Tasmanian Labor Party criticized the government for its lack of support for public transport.
“The Liberals have had their go and failed. It’s in Labor’s DNA to support workers, and that’s exactly what we would do in Government,” a Labor spokesperson stated.
Metro has apologized for the inconvenience caused by the disruptions and thanked bus users for their understanding.
