Brisbane bus drivers have endured more instances of being spat at and verbally abused even as physical assaults dropped in the past year, new data shows.
The bus union says being spat at can have long-lasting impacts on driversThe data, provided to the Rail, Tram and Bus Union by Brisbane City Council, show there were 20 spitting offences against drivers in 2021/22, compared to 14 the financial year before.
"One driver I know of was off work for three months before his test results came back, he simply couldn't go to work and not only that, he was also isolated from his own family at home until he was clear of saliva-borne diseases. "First of all, I'll say I'm pleased but look, I don't think it's the screens, it could be the de-escalation training the drivers are doing. It's rear-door boarding, it's that passengers are down because of the pandemic," he said.
Mr Brown renewed the union's long-running calls for fully enclosed screens and more authorised officers with the power to police fare evasion to patrol buses.'Abhorrent' behaviour condemned "The union is definitely one voice and a useful voice in this discussion, but we have this discussion directly with our drivers and some really don't like the idea of being locked in a little cage," he said.
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