Transit officers kitted out with body-cameras will soon be placed on Metro buses across Tasmania in a bid to tackle increasing anti-social and aggressive behaviour, Transport Minister Michael Ferguson says.
The State Government has unveiled new measures to protect bus drivers and passengers with the pilot use of transit officers on public transport services to ensure the safety of the Tasmanian community.
In a statement released by the Minister, he said that the ‘vast majority’ of trips on Tasmanian buses are incident-free, adding that “we are all sick and tired of the thuggery” that has been occurring on and around buses.
“Our bus drivers and passengers deserve better, and we will progress an increased and visible presence of transit officers on buses who can respond to incidents when they occur, deter would-be offenders and fare evasion, direct passengers to leave if necessary, and issue infringement notices.”
The transit officers will be equipped with body-worn cameras to help deter incidents and gather evidence, with the government to work with Tasmania Police and State Growth to investigate a new mechanism for easy reporting that allows commuters to report non-urgent incidents of antisocial behaviour.
“These actions to target antisocial behavior on public transport will bring comfort to our drivers and the majority of our passengers who enjoy using public transport,” said the Minister.
The measures will initially be trialled in the state’s south and are ‘subject to further development’, including an operating model and detailed implementation plan.
