Safety and security issues, articles, discussion.

[techblitz]

if they don't make a proper & concerted effort to protect bus drivers then they will find it increasingly harder to find bus drivers....especially females.....high driver turnover rates is not what SEQ needs...
Driving a bus is a work environment just like any other occupation out there....and if drivers feel that their needs aren't being met to achieve a safe working environment eg: having to mingle with the drug dealing teens or chromers while driving or on their rest breaks....then action will be taken eg: posting on social media or going to the press.....with or without their current /former employer / translink's permission..

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Railway cops roll out secret weapon

A MOBILE police station is helping a special unit crack down on crime along Queensland's rail network.

Officers from Queensland Police's Railway Squad face everything from serious assaults to drug deals along over 2500km of track, stretching from the Gold Coast to Cairns.

Officers have quietly been using the mobile police facility since the Commonwealth Games, conducting hundreds of operations resulting in 236 arrests in the past financial year.

This is the first time the little-known unit has spoken publicly about the method and its success.

As part of the mobile policing, officers have used motorbikes to chase crims through railway corridors and have dogs specially trained to detect explosives and illicit drugs.

The Railway Squad's mobile police facility has slashed the time to execute warrants and process a criminal from over 90 minutes, to just 30 minutes.

Previously, criminals in police custody had to be transferred to a nearby police station, or watchhouse, wasting stretched police resources.

The man in charge, Senior Sergeant Simon Arnold, said police could process crims on the spot.

'If we get an offender on the train who is wanted on a number of matters ... warrants can be executed here," Snr Sgt Arnold said.

"That saves time for police leaving here and going to the watch house."

"We have to do things on the go."

The van has been a successful part of the growing Rail Squad, being deployed to over 229 operations last financial year.

Snr Sgt Arnold, who joined the Rail Squad in 2004, said local police chiefs often requested the van when dealing with situations or cracking down on crime hot spots.

Snr Sgt Arnold said the biggest issues on Queensland trains and stations were juvenile crime, drugs, trespassers and serious assaults.

"Any serious offences being committed on the rail network, I come down hard on that," he said.

"Those persons should have bail restrictions against them not to be on the rail network.

"That's more or less to protect the other people."

He said that co-ordination between the Railway Squad and Queensland Rail was so seamless, an officer could shutdown the rail network "in seconds" in the case of a trespasser.

Queensland police are also stationed at QR's control centre in Bowen Hills at night to help survey live feeds from 12,000 CCTV cameras.

The Railway Squad is also adapting to new methods of policing, focusing particularly on helping kids found high after 'chroming'.

"They use inhalants," Sen-Sgt Arnold said.

"(We) try to divert that person to a (non-government organisation), to basically get them some sort of education, some sort of help."

These efforts extend to suicide prevention, with the organisation co-ordinating several efforts to provide those grappling with mental illness with support.

[ozbob]

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2019/11/15/palaszczuk-government-bolsters-public-transport-safety

Media Statements

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Mark Bailey

Friday, November 15, 2019

Palaszczuk Government bolsters public transport safety

Eight Queenslanders have joined the ranks of TransLink's network officers as the Palaszczuk Government ramps up its campaign against fare evasion and anti-social behaviour on public transport.

The new Senior Network Officers (SNOs) will start their first shifts on the south east's public transport network from next week after a graduation ceremony was yesterday held at the Queensland Police Academy at Oxley.

It comes as a new state-wide safety ad campaign gets ready to kick off this Sunday promoting zero-tolerance towards bus driver violence.

Called See It From Their Side the two-month community campaign will see ads running on television, radio and print across South East Queensland and regional centres.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said most people do the right thing on the public transport network but there was a small percentage doing the wrong thing.

"The Palaszczuk Government takes fare evasion and the safety of all passengers very seriously and has implemented a number of additional initiatives across the network," Mr Bailey said.

"TransLink SNOs do an excellent job and boosting their numbers will help make public transport safer and give us a much greater presence across the network.

"The new SNOs follow the announcement in late September of a 12-month trial of eight new Customer Service Officers to ride on Westside Bus Company and Park Ridge Transit services."

Mr Bailey said bus drivers took Queenslanders on more than 128 million trips last financial year, highlighting the important role they play in transporting customers.

"Drivers have the right to feel safe from abuse or physical harm when they're simply trying to do their job.

"Just like our emergency service and other frontline workers, there's no excuse for abuse.

"This campaign is confronting and features real-life violent scenarios faced by bus drivers, but it has a simple message: violence or abuse of drivers is not acceptable."

The TWU's Peter Biagini said SNOs are key to ensuring bus safety for passengers and drivers

"Fare evasion is one of the key issues causing conflict between drivers and members of the public," Mr Biagini said.

"The TWU is grateful that the Palaszczuk Government is listening to bus drivers in Queensland and making real investments in driver safety."

The RTBU's Tom Brown said having SNOs on the bus makes the drivers feel safe and supported.

"With regard to abuse and violence, seeing the issue from the bus drivers' side is pretty confronting," Mr Brown said.

"Even more SNOs will be required in future. Many drivers were involved in developing these ads."

Mr Bailey said more SNOs and the Bus Driver Safety Campaign were just two initiatives the government had introduced to improve the network.

"We'll be starting the process to hire more SNOs in the coming weeks, while a second Youth Fare Evasion Roundtable is scheduled for early December to continue gathering input and formulating strategies to combat the issue," Mr Bailey said.

"We continue to carry out targeted operations at South East Queensland schools to educate students on the importance of doing the right thing."

ENDS

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Council bus drivers cop blame for reacting to unruly kids

As youths high on substances run rampant on Brisbane buses, one female driver has been suspended after fighting back.

A QUEENSLAND bus driver has been suspended after she grabbed the sleeve of a youth who allegedly stole $5 and punched her in the stomach.

Rail Tram and Bus Union spokesman Tom Brown told the Sunday Mail the female Brisbane City Council casual driver was suspended after she jumped off the bus and chased a teenage girl who boasted about taking the money and how there was nothing the driver could do.

The girl, who was later charged, allegedly punched the driver in the stomach after she grabbed her sleeve.

Mr Brown said the driver – who had also been confronted by children kicking the bus, with one spitting at her as she tried to close the door – had not been at work since the September incident.

Mr Brown said another female driver, who had coins thrown in her face by a man in his 20s, had cuts on her nose and eyelid from her glasses smashing.

"She could have lost an eye,'' Mr Brown said.

He said this driver was also suspended, because in the heat of the moment, she chased the young passenger off the bus and slapped him in the face. She is now on sick leave.

Last year, council drivers reported 521 instances of driver abuse or assault. So far this year, 606 instances have been reported, including 53 assaults.

"Assaults have been averaging one a week for the past two years, although 900 Brisbane City Council buses have been fitted with partial screens," Mr Brown said.

"It's like being in a war zone,'' one female BCC driver said. "Children are out of control and nobody is doing anything to stop it.''

Other drivers have reported repeated problems with children inhaling substances, an act known as chroming, on-board buses and at bus stops.

Mr Brown said chroming seemed to spike during school holidays and this year the union had warned drivers about exposure risks, including headaches, drowsiness and blurred vision.

"It's a massive distraction for drivers,'' he said.

One asthmatic driver, who inhaled fumes while kids were chroming on a BCC bus, fractured a rib from severe coughing, a bus union representative said.

A driver who has experienced at least six incidents with chroming children in the last year said many were repeat offenders.

"I say, 'I'm happy to take you, but no chroming', and they immediately start chroming,'' the driver said.

"It hypes them up, makes them very unpredictable and aggressive.''

Many children refused to pay the fare, claiming they had no money.

"We're not allowed to refuse them because they're children. They know they can do whatever they like,'' the driver said.

"Many of these drivers have ongoing long-term physical and psychological injuries due to the abuse that they have suffered in the workplace,'' Greg Spinda of Maurice Blackburn said. "Brisbane City Council needs to take immediate action.''

A BCC spokesman said the council wanted the State Government to urgently act so they could tackle the increase in reports of chroming with legal action against anyone who used a council bus as a place to inhale chemicals.

"The State Government has made it illegal for a passenger to take a coffee on a bus, but there is no law surrounding chroming,'' the spokesman said.

If a bus driver reported chroming on their bus, the council could seek police assistance and relieve the driver from duty, the spokesman said.

Council is also looking into full safety barriers for its buses in 2020.

[#Metro]

Give the drivers pepper spray?

[James]

More SNOs / police are the only way anybody can really stop the issue as SNOs & police are the only ones legally allowed to enforce the rules. Use any force to enforce the rules, you're convicted of assault. Can't leave anybody under the age of 18 behind or else find yourself sacked. Drivers are powerless.

A very bad situation. The best solution would be to have roving cars with SNOs & police in them. But there's no money in that - instead police are sitting in vans trying to book speeding drivers in congested traffic...

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Confessions of a train commuter: What nearly always sparks train brawls

THERE'VE been a few times my fellow train commuters have nearly come to blows recently while travelling between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

And you might be surprised at what nearly always sparks it.

Music.

And not just any music. Usually it is 90s pop classics - the cringe-worthy ones like Aqua's Barbie Girl.

Here's how it nearly always unfolds:

A young punk (yes I can't believe I'm old enough to refer to them as that) sits there deliberately playing music loudly on his phone with no headphones.

He's shabbily dressed, has an attitude and generally appears to be a troubled teen.

Fellow passengers put up with the music blaring for a few songs before a generally well-dressed young professional male becomes the first to crack.

'Could you please have some respect for the other passengers and turn your music off?' he asks politely.

Mate... you just took the bait.

That is all young punk was waiting for.

There's no going back from here, it's on.

The young punk throws around the 'f**k you, I'm not turning it off' response.

A few other passengers - generally other well-dressed men - feel the need to reprimand him on his bad manners: 'don't use that language, there's children on-board', they scold.

Cue more f-bombs from young punk, throw in plenty of c-words and we are off and racing.

Other passengers pull out their headphones to listen to what the commotion is about, all exchanging quizzical glances and head shakes - an unspoken way of saying 'this generation has no respect'

At this point, a mum with a child on-board has had enough of the foul language, she pipes up 'that's enough, there are children around, please sit down and be quiet'.

Love, if you think reasoning with young punk is going to work, you are sorely mistaken. It just gives him more ammunition to continue to expletive-laden rant.

Several men get up and surround him, demanding he get off the train - to which he unsurprisingly responds with 'get f**ed I'm not getting off the train'.

More professional men get involved and young punk starts threatening to 'punch their heads in'.

Other passengers all rousingly yell at him to get off the train, at which point the train driver has been alerted to the unfolding quarrel and suspends the train at the station.

Security come on-board and yank him off.

Coincidentally, it seems to always end around Beenleigh station.

It's like young punk planned it that way.

And that, my friends, is what it's like to commute from Brisbane to the Gold Coast via Logan.

[SurfRail]

^ Not even remotely common, even after hours.

[James]

Seems like a bit of a strange story. In the end you'd probably notice a pattern of it being a few people who know that they can get away with being anti-social on board. Another symptom of a lack of SNOs on the network...

If it bothers you so much, move, I've done it before.

[techblitz]

forest lake again....

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/man-ambushed-by-gang-of-five-at-brisbane-bus-stop-for-his-phone-20200110-p53qak.html

A young man was encircled and beaten by a gang of five at a Brisbane bus stop overnight – all so the attackers could steal his mobile phone.

The 24-year-old victim was waiting at a bus stop on Joseph Banks Avenue in Forest Lake, 17 kilometres south-west of the Brisbane CBD, about 8.30pm on Thursday.
He was approached by five people, who chatted with him before they circled and assaulted him.

The attackers stole his mobile phone and fled, leaving the man on the ground with cuts and bruises to his face. He was taken to the Mater Hospital in a stable condition for treatment.

Detectives have appealed for anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage from Joseph Banks Avenue at 8.30pm-9pm on Thursday to contact Policelink on 13 14 44 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Armed bandit forces QR worker to strip after botched armed holdup

AN armed bandit has forced a Queensland Rail worker to strip and hand over his uniform so he could get away in disguise.

The offender went to Brisbane's Coorparoo train station on Wednesday night, where he brandished a knife and forced a young worker into an office where he demanded cash.

When the rail worker said there was no cash to hand over, the bandit forced the worker to swap clothes with him so he could leave undetected.

But the sly escape plan didn't end there.

The bandit then called police himself, creating a distraction by claiming there was a man acting suspiciously in the area.

When police arrived, the worker promptly told officers he'd been fleeced and they should be looking for a man in a Queensland Rail uniform.

The bandit was arrested without incident a short time later.

A 22-year-old man has since been charged with attempted armed robbery and deprivation of liberty.

He's also been charged with the armed robbery of a service station at Murarrie on January 7.

[red dragin]

What a genius 

Feel for the worker though.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Gold Coast bus passenger stabbed in head, body

A man is in hospital after being stabbed multiple times in the head and upper body while travelling on a bus on the Gold Coast.

The attack happened about 6pm on Monday, when a man travelling on the bus approached a 20-year-old Palm Beach man and threatened him.

The pair then got into a physical fight and the 20-year-old was stabbed.

The offender stole the younger man's backpack and left the bus, travelling south on Yodelay St.

The injured man was taken to hospital in a stable condition.

Any witnesses or those with information should contact police.

[techblitz]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-21/teens-charged-after-cctv-shows-bus-assault-robbery/11887486

Police have condemned the actions of a group of young people caught on camera accosting a bus driver and robbing passengers in north Queensland.

Key points:
•Two teenage boys charged after bus driver assaulted and passenger robbed
•One also charged over convenience store robbery
•Police still seeking up to eight other suspects

Two boys aged 13 and 14 have been charged with robbery after police were handed CCTV vision of the incident, which occurred in Townsville last Wednesday.

Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Miles said it was a prolonged and brazen incident.

"We had a number of young people — about 10 males and females — who have accosted a bus driver and also a number of members of public on the bus," he said.

He said police will allege money, headphones and other personal items were stolen from people on the bus.

The bus was also graffitied.

Detective Senior Sergeant Miles said the teenagers also tried to assault a female passenger.

He said the CCTV shows the woman fending off one boy as he tried to take her handbag when she boarded the bus.

"It's clear from the footage that they have no respect for property or any of the persons involved," he said.


"Quite frankly, they think it's a joke."

Detective Senior Sergeant Miles said no-one was seriously injured in the incident.

"We are positive that we've been able to identify who those eight young people are, and will be attempting to have them placed either before the courts or have them dealt with under youth justice provisions in the near future."

Two boys will appear in Townsville Children's Court on Wednesday over the bus incident, and one of them also faces charges for a convenience store robbery that occurred afterwards.

"Two young people have walked into the store and observed the attendant to be at the rear of the store," Detective Senior Sergeant Miles said.

"[The attendant was] shoulder charged and then physically assaulted by the young people before they made off with a small amount of goods."

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

Gold Coast Bulletin --> Youth crime: Gold Coast bus driver speaks out about fare evasion and out-of-control juveniles terrorising drivers and passengers

Gold Coast bus drivers say passengers have been stabbed, seats set on fire, aerosols sniffed and they are threatened to be bashed if they refuse to let on youths.

Drivers are contacting the Bulletin fed up with the attitude of fare-evading young thugs causing mayhem on public transport.

They say they are being assaulted and "laughed at" by teenage grubs and there is nothing they can do about it.

Worse still, they are angry transports authorities are refusing to take a hard line on the offenders.

"We have had a stabbing, seats set on fire, persons sniffing substances, vandalism, passengers terrified and drivers urgently requesting police and security for their safety," one driver said.

The Bulletin understands a female bus driver was punched in the face at Coolangatta last month. She suffered concussion and bruising.

"Do parents know where their kids are and what they are doing?" a driver said. "Parents should be responsible for this and made to be so. Drivers have had a gutful of having to put up with fare evaders and their attitudes, and the complaints from other passengers.

"And let's be certain here, the paying passengers are the ones we are working for."

The man, who asked to remain unidentified to protect his job, said drivers were not "child minders, psychologists or a punching bag".

He believed buses were ­becoming a haven for unruly juveniles.

The city's top police union representative recently warned rank-and-file officers were frustrated with the "catch and release" of serious youth offenders and close to giving up on making arrests.

The Bulletin has reported on a spate of serious juvenile crime in recent months, including the stabbing death of Jack Beasley at Surfers Paradise in December. It is alleged the 17-year-old was murdered during a botched robbery ­involving five teenagers.

Police have also pointed the finger at youths for assaults, car thefts and burglaries.

"I have had three detectives stop my bus and arrest young evaders who were using the free taxi as a means of escaping from their victim, who they had taken goods while armed," a bus driver said.
Related:

"Many crimes are committed on buses and in reality we are aiding and abetting young persons in their criminal actions by taking them to their destinations, easily and free of charge."

The driver believes some young thugs feel they have free rein to do what they like.

He said evaders were "making a mockery" of the tragic and widely publicised death of murdered student Daniel Morcombe in 2003.

"While I cannot talk for every company in Queensland, the one I know elected to give a concession to children for safety reasons after the unfortunate death of Daniel Morcombe, so that they would not be left unsafe.

"This has been escalated and been abused and now (youths) are quoting the Daniel Morcombe law or just the law."

He said his instructions were to "just push the button", referring to a "fare evade" switch and that "a maximum of five per cent" of youths had an excuse he considered legitimate.

In two years he has had inspectors on his bus only four times.

The driver said a tough stance was needed and drivers should be instructed to stay at a standstill until evaders comply with directions to leave buses. He said if offenders fail to leave "police need to attend quickly".

"It will cause congestion for a short time but word will quickly get out that (evasion) will no longer be acceptable behaviour," he said.

In a lengthy statement, a TransLink spokeswoman said the State Government "takes fare evasion and the safety of all passengers very seriously".

"Fare evasion costs the Queensland Government up to $25 million each year and unlawfully takes money away from funding the public transport system," it read.

"Last year, the Queensland Government held two youth fare evasion roundtables (including the Daniel Morcombe Foundation) to identify solutions to help tackle the challenging social issue of increasing deliberate fare evasion and associated anti-social behaviours by young people.

"In addition to the roundtable, the Queensland Government employed eight new Senior Network Officers (SNOs) in December 2019 and is currently recruiting for up to a further 14 officers, to bring the total number of SNOs to 71.

The officers can "stage regular station lockdowns and patrols, educate public transport users, and issue penalty infringements and warning notices".

Mention was made of the TransLink Step-up program, which educates schoolchildren about acceptable behaviour on public transport.

====

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1223989058767970304

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Civilian officers crack down on Logan buses with fines, warnings

BUS users in Logan were given a surprise this week when special civilian officers boarded buses to make sure everyone was on their best behaviour.

Eight Client Services Officers have been employed to travel on all Logan and Ipswich buses across the TransLink network.

The officers can issue $266 on-the-spot fines for those who have not paid fares.

They can also issue warning notices to anyone using public transport infrastructure under the Transport Operations Act 1994.

Although they have the powers to direct people to leave buses, they cannot physically remove them.

TransLink said the officers could be recognised by their distinct uniform of black pants, ruby polo shirt and a black baseball cap.

They wear a black vest with "Customer Service Officer" on the back and carry identification cards.

The officers will work with police.

For the next year, the officers will be on Park Ridge Transit bus services in Logan.

Already 60 TransLink officers patrol public transport along with 29 officers on the light rail network, 80 police, and 28 Queensland Rail officers.

The idea for the bus officers followed a meeting of transport officials last year to crack down on youths not paying fares.

Senior Constable Luke Turner from Logan Central crime prevention unit said the officers were another great step towards reducing and preventing crime in Logan.

Officers in Logan will also be given sexual violence awareness training after new collaborative program was announced this week.

The course was developed between the police and the Gold Coast Centre Against Sexual Violence.

It will focus on tackling presumptions and beliefs when crimes involving sexual violence are first reported.

It will also ensure all cases follow a course of fair, impartial and thorough treatment.

South Eastern Police Region Assistant Commissioner Brian Wilkins said Logan officers had been extensively engaged in domestic violence issues for many years but the training would enhance officer's understanding and capacity to deal with cases.

"Victims need to know they are believed, they are understood, and they are able to seek support and resources to during and after an incident.in a safe environment," Assistant Commissioner Wilkins said.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/7NewsBrisbane/status/1229329731486531587

[ozbob]

Sent to CEO Queensland Rail

30th May 2017

Sincere condolences to all at Queensland Rail

Dear Nick,

I would just like to express our sincere condolences to the late Track Worker's family, friends and all his work colleagues at Queensland Rail, on behalf of all members at RAIL Back On Track.

Yours sincerely,

Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

ATSB  Running line collision with worker involving passenger train T570, Petrie, Queensland on 29 May 2017

Final report

https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2017/rair/ro-2017-003/

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Drivers plan safety petition 'blitz' to target Lord Mayor

Bus drivers are asking passengers to sign a petition, claiming the Lord Mayor is not listening to their concerns over youths' actions on board.

The Rail Tram and Bus Union says it "can't get through" to Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner that bus drivers are at risk from gangs of youths high from "chroming", and is asking the public to help get their message across.

Union secretary Tom Brown and 20 Brisbane City Council bus drivers, who were on split shifts or days off, took to the Inala Bus Interchange yesterday to demand action via a petition asking for chroming to be directly banned by the Brisbane City Council.

Mr Brown said two new safety incidents in the past fortnight had sparked deep concern and left drivers feeling unsafe and that their health was at risk.

Some bus services, including the Inala 100 and Carindale 222 buses, were besieged by gangs of young people high on propellants after engaging in "chroming", he said.

A bus driver and a passenger required hospital treatment after two recent incidents, Mr Brown said.

More than 200 people signed the paper petition at the bus interchange.

"The council is aware of the danger to drivers, who fall ill from inhaling fumes and are driving impaired, but they always pass the buck to the State Government," Mr Brown said.

Mr Brown said passengers clearly understood that they were also in danger from frequent incidents of bad behaviour generated by chroming among gangs of youths and exposure to fumes on council buses.

"The petition asks the council to ban the discharge of propellants, and therefore chroming, on the Brisbane City Council buses and at bus stops and interchanges due to imminent risk of impairment and illness to bus drivers and passengers," Mr Brown said.

He said the union believed the problem with gangs of youths chroming at bus interchanges and on buses had become worse after a State Government crackdown on Brisbane trains.

"They've shifted the problem from the trains to the buses, and the council must act to keep drivers safe," Mr Brown said.

"We want a ban to work in the same way a smoking ban works — it's not illegal to buy or carry cigarettes, but smoking on a bus is not allowed.

"If it works for smoking, it can work for chroming."

At the Inala bus interchange protest today (Tuesday), Brisbane City councillor (Forest Lake) Charles Strunk said the Inala 100 bus service was targeted continuously, and the council's response to the issue was "seriously lacking".

"Chroming seems to be a catalyst causing drivers to be attacked, feel unsafe and being affected by the propellant reaching the bus airconditioning," Cr Strunk said.

"The council needs to declare the propellant must not be discharged on a bus, it's a simple solution to a difficult problem, then it can be enforced."

Mr Brown said the union would stage another "petition blitz" at the Chermside interchange on Thursday.

Members of the public can sign the petition at Cr Strunk's office.

The Brisbane City Council was asked for a response.

[verbatim9]

Brisbanetimes.com.au----> Calls to ban chroming to protect Brisbane bus drivers

A rise in chroming-related incidents on Brisbane buses has prompted lord mayor Adrian Schrinner to call for a ban on the practice across Queensland's public transport network to protect drivers from dangerous fumes.

Chroming, where chemical products including glues, aerosols and paints are inhaled to produce a brief high, has become an issue in recent years with multiple reports of teenagers involved in the practice.

More than 60 incidents were reported across Brisbane's bus network in 2019, with documents released under right to information detailing some of them.

"Under state Labor, it's illegal to take a coffee on a bus, but you can take propellants and chrome. It is bizarre that common sense is out the window," Cr Schrinner said.

"We understand why bus drivers would be worried about chroming happening on their buses, and we share their concerns."

Cr Schrinner said he had written to Transport Minister Mark Bailey about the issue twice in 2019.

In a response to one of those letters, Mr Bailey said he agreed the issue of chroming needed a multi-department response and he would put the issue on the agenda for a future transport forum.

But Cr Schrinner said there was "no action" to date and Mr Bailey needed to "act urgently" to ban chroming.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey said "powers are already there" to remove people from buses if they were chroming or engaging in other antisocial behaviour, and said Cr Schrinner was playing politics.

Drivers also reported alleged acts of aggression by teens high on fumes from chroming, ranging from death threats to passengers kicking buses and refusing to leave. In one case, a driver was forced to press the duress alarm.

"With an election four weeks away, his only policy seems to be [to] blame everybody else for things he hasn't solved over the last few years," Mr Bailey said.

"He needs to sit down with the bus drivers and listen to them. I've done that many times, and you benefit from it."

Bus drivers reported some passengers potentially inhaling substances, with some drivers reporting feeling woozy or suffering headaches after suspected chroming incidents.

The LNP has repeatedly called for Labor to increase the number of senior network officers who monitor buses and act as security.

Mr Bailey said the state government was training another 12 senior network officers, to create a record 71 officers across the network.

He said there had been a health roundtable on chroming, noting it was often teenagers who were involved and the message needed to be shared with them that it was a health risk.

In September last year, the state government launched a new safety campaign to protect bus drivers and raise awareness about violent incidents against drivers.

A further eight officers were added to the state's 49 senior network officers, while more than 50 per cent of buses are expected to have safety screens installed for drivers by June this year.

The issue was not a new one, however, with similar calls made in 2012 to the then-Newman LNP government after incidents on trains.

[verbatim9]

^^This is a fair call..Make it a fineable offence on Public Transport the same way smoking is. Passengers aren't allowed to smoke, eat or drink except for bottled water. Why should chroming be tolerated on the Public Transport network?

[verbatim9]

Brisbanetimes.com.au----> Calls to ban chroming to protect Brisbane bus drivers

A rise in chroming-related incidents on Brisbane buses has prompted lord mayor Adrian Schrinner to call for a ban on the practice across Queensland's public transport network to protect drivers from dangerous fumes.

Chroming, where chemical products including glues, aerosols and paints are inhaled to produce a brief high, has become an issue in recent years with multiple reports of teenagers involved in the practice.

More than 60 incidents were reported across Brisbane's bus network in 2019, with documents released under right to information detailing some of them.

"Under state Labor, it's illegal to take a coffee on a bus, but you can take propellants and chrome. It is bizarre that common sense is out the window," Cr Schrinner said.

"We understand why bus drivers would be worried about chroming happening on their buses, and we share their concerns."

Cr Schrinner said he had written to Transport Minister Mark Bailey about the issue twice in 2019.

In a response to one of those letters, Mr Bailey said he agreed the issue of chroming needed a multi-department response and he would put the issue on the agenda for a future transport forum.

But Cr Schrinner said there was "no action" to date and Mr Bailey needed to "act urgently" to ban chroming.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey said "powers are already there" to remove people from buses if they were chroming or engaging in other antisocial behaviour, and said Cr Schrinner was playing politics.

Drivers also reported alleged acts of aggression by teens high on fumes from chroming, ranging from death threats to passengers kicking buses and refusing to leave. In one case, a driver was forced to press the duress alarm.

"With an election four weeks away, his only policy seems to be [to] blame everybody else for things he hasn't solved over the last few years," Mr Bailey said.

"He needs to sit down with the bus drivers and listen to them. I've done that many times, and you benefit from it."

Bus drivers reported some passengers potentially inhaling substances, with some drivers reporting feeling woozy or suffering headaches after suspected chroming incidents.

The LNP has repeatedly called for Labor to increase the number of senior network officers who monitor buses and act as security.

Mr Bailey said the state government was training another 12 senior network officers, to create a record 71 officers across the network.

He said there had been a health roundtable on chroming, noting it was often teenagers who were involved and the message needed to be shared with them that it was a health risk.

In September last year, the state government launched a new safety campaign to protect bus drivers and raise awareness about violent incidents against drivers.

A further eight officers were added to the state's 49 senior network officers, while more than 50 per cent of buses are expected to have safety screens installed for drivers by June this year.

The issue was not a new one, however, with similar calls made in 2012 to the then-Newman LNP government after incidents on trains.

^^This is a fair call..Make it a fineable offence on Public Transport the same way smoking is. Passengers aren't allowed to smoke, eat or drink except for bottled water. Why should chroming be tolerated on the Public Transport network?

Lord Mayor @Schrinner is calling for chroming to be banned on public transport, with more than 60 chroming related incidents reported on the bus network in 2019 https://t.co/toLzNV9TDF

https://twitter.com/10NewsFirstQLD/status/1232567371845558272

[James]

More political games from both Local & State Governments. The bus drivers can't enforce the law, so require SNOs on board to detain, remove & fine. State government isn't hiring enough SNOs, so asks council to hire their own people, council points at the state and points out that SNOs are a TransLink responsibility. And so the cycle of blame continues.

It really is quite toxic having the two elections in the same year, political point scoring everywhere. Really sums up BCC & QG interactions though.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/MarkBaileyMP/status/1304294209961115648

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/QueenslandRail/status/1340913303451660288

[ozbob]

^

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1344111266789425160

====

Queensland Rail --> Hard Pass to Trespass

The Hard Pass to Trespass campaign aims to reduce trespassing incidents on the Queensland Rail network which can lead to service disruptions, personal injury or death.

More > https://www.queenslandrail.com.au/aboutus/campaigns/hard-pass-to-trespass

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Brisbane bus driver assault stats renew calls for physical barriers

2020 Brisbane City Council bus driver assaults

508 assaults were verbal, where drivers received derogatory comments or obscene gestures.
87 events were extreme verbal assaults with "continued screaming".
20 times, a Brisbane bus driver was spat on.
13 times, a Brisbane bus driver was physically struck.
13 times, something was stolen from a Brisbane bus driver.
Three times, an object was thrown at a Brisbane City Council bus driver.

An average of three Brisbane City Council bus drivers were assaulted every day in December.

That damning statistic was aired in Tuesday's council meeting, which heard the total number of bus driver assaults in 2020 was 654, just three fewer than 2019 despite the patronage hit associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Council bus drivers were spat on 20 times in 2020 and, in 13 instances, drivers were struck or shoved by a member of the public.

The figures were seized upon by Labor opposition leader Jared Cassidy. ...

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Advocates call for more bus driver safety measures from Qld government

Passengers assaulting, screaming, shoving and yelling at bus drivers is a major statewide problem and not confined to Brisbane, frustrated bus driver groups have told Brisbane Times. ...

[There is a data error in this article, I have advised the journalist]

[#Metro]

Can we have cash payment removed from the bus network, at least within Brisbane, Gold Coast and Logan at least initially.

[Cazza]

That has happened due to covid (at least for TfB services, not sure about other operators). But the thing is, people that assault bus drivers aren't generally after the money. It's commonly a retaliation for something that's happened (either on the bus or in their general life).

I agree that cash won't need to be on board buses (especially after next gen ticketing comes online) but I doubt that's the whole motive behind these actions.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Qld Govt 'reneges' on security screens for bus drivers

Three Brisbane bus drivers a day were assaulted in December.
The damning statistic emerged at a recent Brisbane City Council meeting, which heard the total number of council driver assaults in 2020 was a staggering 654.
It's worse in Cairns, Townsville, Mackay and the Gold and Sunshine coasts, according to Bus and Coach Drivers' Association state secretary Darren Dickson.
The State Government promised to pay for protective screens to stop attacks, but they had reneged, said Dickson.
"Drivers feel exposed,'' he said.
"The Government agreed to pay half with the bus companies the rest.
"The stories of rampant violence and misconduct is crazy.''
Over to Transport Minister Mark Bailey, who surely can't dismiss this crisis as "clickbait nonsense''. ...

[SurfRail]

It's time for the government to stop allowing bus companies to specify their own fleet.  Just take over and bulk purchase for all new deliveries like they do in WA and SA.  The operators get virtually all their revenue from the State anyway, so they are ultimately the economic cause and source of funding of each new bus.

It would be very simple to work out a standard design of driver cab for each particular model ordered.

[verbatim9]

Or just do it with a new electric fleet rollout.   

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ABCmag/status/1365182138539151361

[ozbob]

[tazzer9]

Unfortunately during the last week while I was aboard a QR long distance train, I had to get involved during an assault on an on board staff member by another passenger. The passenger was very swiftly arrested at the next station.

Maybe QR needs to go down the route that NSW train link have an have body cameras for staff.  Especially considering it was the staff member and my word against the other person since there are no security cameras inside. (Well at least none I could see)

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> 'My kids need me': Grandmother's amazing escape from oncoming train $

'Nowhere to go': Terror of driver trapped in path of oncoming train
A Caboolture grandmother has come within centimetres of being collected by a commuter train as she got caught between the boom gates at a level crossing.

A Caboolture woman who came "face-to-face" with a train in a level crossing nightmare has recounted the terrifying moment she thought she might die.

Grandmother of 10 Margaret Ball was in the left most lane as she crossed the train tracks at the McKean St level crossing in Caboolture when a shock event left her stranded on the line and facing an oncoming train as the boom gates closed around her.

"I waited for the train barriers to raise after the passing of a train, checked how much space there was in the queue for the lane I wanted. All good," Ms Ball said.

"As I moved forwards, someone slipped from the right hand turning lane into my left-turning lane.

"By doing this, they cut all room for my safe passage across the train tracks. ....

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/TMRQld/status/1410752152243298306

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Cane loco driver crushed between wagons in Carmila workplace incident $

A cane train driver suffered crush injuries to his upper body after he was trapped between two loaded wagons during a workplace incident at Carmila.

RACQ CQ Rescue flew the seriously injured man to Mackay Base Hospital. His injuries include lung and rib crush injuries.

The incident occurred towards the end of Palms Rd about 3.35pm Saturday.

It is understood the man was working on a loaded Plane Creek mill cane locomotive, which was in remote shunting mode when it moved backwards and trapped him. ...

... Workplace Health and Safety has been advised of the incident and were expected to attend the site.

Remote shunting units is relatively new technology that allows a cane driver to leave a locomotive and carry out shunting by remote control, removing the need for a driver's assistant.

Two Plane Creek trains were fitted with the technology by early 2020.