A New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) investigator went undercover to watch a shuttle-bus driver travel dangerously and at high speed on the road between Dunedin and Christchurch.
The observer was close enough to the driver to keep an eye on the speedometer and the road ahead, and the driver's dangerous overtaking manoeuvres the investigator saw were bad enough for the driver to lose his licence for nine months.
The driver, who was convicted in the Oamaru District Court last month, was one of 10 southern passenger endorsement holders investigated by NZTA's Dunedin-based Otago-Southland office after complaints it received in the three years to July.
NZTA Otago-Southland principal transport officer Dermot Harris said the complaints, four about bus drivers and six about taxi drivers, were relatively few, when compared with the other main centres.
The Auckland office dealt with 44 complaints about driver conduct and driving in the year to March alone.
All the southern complaints were investigated and resolved over the period. One driver was convicted of driving charges and lost his licence, but no other drivers had their passenger endorsements suspended or revoked.
Three drivers were issued warning letters.
Only two complaints were about incidents outside Dunedin. In August 2008, a woman made an unsubstantiated claim she was pushed by a female driver while waiting for a taxi in Queenstown. The other complaint led to the investigation into the Dunedin-Christchurch shuttle driver.
Two further complaints alleged passengers were manhandled or assaulted by Dunedin drivers. Three passengers complained a taxi driver acted in an uncivil manner, and may have assaulted them, after they were picked up from a function in the city in November last year.
The driver received an infringement notice and a final warning for his conduct. The complaint was referred to the police, which usually tells NZTA when a prosecution is likely, but he was not charged.
The Otago Daily Times understands the driver disputes the claims and has asked the Associate Transport Minister to investigate his case.
Another complainant alleged he was assaulted when he was evicted from a bus in November 2008. The complainant was referred to the police and no subsequent action was necessary.
A driver was issued with a written warning after a woman complained his taxi narrowly missed her when she was on pedestrian crossing in November last year. She claimed the driver also intimidated her after the incident.
Mr Harris said the driving and assault claims were the most serious the office dealt with over the period. It also warned a driver after an overcharging complaint in 2008, and referred a complaint about a bus driver using a mobile phone while driving, and complaints about parking in a mobility park and not accepting Total Mobility vouchers, to the companies concerned.
Other, minor complaints were not included in the figures.
Recently, a person complained about a driver mispronouncing University of Otago hall of residence Arana College.
"We're pretty lucky down here that we have relatively few complaints and certainly none at the serious end of the scale."
The southern figures pale in comparison to some of those of the main centres. In the year to March, NZTA's Auckland office investigated 44 complaints, including nine for behaviour-related offences, five for fraud, three for overcharging and two for sex-related offences. Two other drivers were investigated for falling asleep at the wheel.
There were 11 complaints in Christchurch, of which nine were related to what NZTA's figures called "driver conduct". There were two further driver conduct issues in Hamilton. Wellington figures were unavailable.
COMPLAINING ABOUT TAXI, BUS AND SHUTTLE DRIVERS
• Complain to the company, which must conduct its own review. Taxi and shuttle companies must keep a complaints register, which can be checked by NZTA.
• If you are not satisfied with the result you can complain, in writing, to NZTA.
• NZTA will assign an investigator. You, the driver, and any other parties may be interviewed.
• NZTA will decide what action to take. It can issue a warning letter, or suspend or cancel a passenger endorsement.
• Criminal complaints should be made directly to the police. The police will usually tell NZTA if the claim was substantiated. NZTA can then issue its own sanctions.
- Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
COMPLAINTS
2007-08
• Bus driver pulled out in front of a cyclist.
• Referred to company.
2008-09
• Taxi driver overcharged. Warning.
• Female taxi driver pushed waiting female passenger. Unsubstantiated.
• Assault when being evicted from bus. Referred to police.
• Taxi parked in mobility area. Referred to company.
• Taxi driver not accept mobility voucher. Referred to company.
• Bus driver used mobile phone while driving. Reprimanded by company.
2009-10
• Taxi driver intimidating after narrowly missing pedestrian on a crossing. Written warning.
• Three passengers complain about uncivil manner and possible assault. Infringement for conduct, final warning issued. Police investigated.
• Bus driver drove at dangerous speed. Convicted for dangerous and careless driving, lost licence for nine months.
- Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
