Source: Radio New Zealand
Auckland Transport and police say they are working to improve safety on buses, trains and ferries. Duoya Lu
Explainer – A series of unprovoked attacks on Auckland public transport – including a fatal stabbing last month – have raised concerns about the safety of riders and drivers in Aotearoa’s biggest city.
Auckland Transport says the vast majority of public transport goes by without incident, and it has set up a variety of public safety measures.
What can people do if they’re worried about their own safety on public transport? Here’s what you need to know.
What’s been happening on Auckland public transport?
From January to December 2025, there were 2161 reported incidents of “aggression, violence, racism, discrimination, and inappropriate behaviour” on Auckland public transport, said Auckland Transport’s Director of Public Transport and Active Modes, Stacey van der Putten.
“The number of reported cases fluctuates across the months, ranging from a low of 84 cases in December 2025 to a peak of 249 cases in March 2025,” she said.
The rough average from those numbers would work out to about six reported incidents per day in 2025.
There have been several violent incidents on or around Auckland transport in recent weeks. A passenger suffered moderate injuries in an apparently unprovoked attack by a group of people earlier this month, while a young woman was arrested after two people were assaulted at a bus station in Ōrewa. A 32-year-old man was also arrested after a bus driver was allegedly sprayed with a fire extinguisher in Auckland on 13 January.
Some attacks in the past few years have been fatal.
On 8 December, a 59-year-old was fatally stabbed on a bus travelling from Glen Innes towards Ōrakei in East Auckland. Another man, 41, was seriously injured after boarding the same bus a short time later. A suspect has since been arrested.
In October 2024, an Auckland woman was stabbed to death on a bus in Onehunga and a 16-year-old was charged with murder after another fatal attack at an Albany bus station in 2023, while an American PhD student died after an assault while waiting at a Meadowbank bus stop in April 2025.
“We are very, very concerned about those specific incidents,” NZ Police Inspector Charles Ip, the area prevention manager for Auckland City East, told RNZ.
“The commissioner has made it quite clear for us as an organisation to ensure that everyone in New Zealand is safe and they feel safe.”
Police launched a homicide investigation after a fatal stabbing on an East Auckland bus in December. RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Is violence actually getting worse? Are buses safe?
With schools restarting and the traditional “March madness” traffic surge soon to begin, Auckland’s public transport numbers will be on the rise.
“Public transport is safe,” van der Putten said. “These incidents are an absolute minority; it is important to remember that last week Aucklanders took around 1.8 million public transport trips, with the vast majority having safe, comfortable, and enjoyable journeys.”
AT’s data showed that March 2025 was the peak month last year for incidents, at 249, while only 84 incidents were reported in December.
Van der Putten said that data is based on reports from the public.
“This data is based solely on public submissions and may include subjective or anecdotal accounts. As such, they represent perceived incidents rather than confirmed legal breaches or verified violations of operational policy.”
According to AT, there were also slightly fewer assaults against public transport drivers from 2024 to 2025, down from 60 to 55, although December 2025’s numbers are not yet included in that total.
“This is largely driven through the rollout of bus driver safety screens, with over 650 buses now having them installed,” van der Putten said.
Police are working hand in hand with AT to address the issues.
“We’re also working very, very hard with our partner agencies such as the local council and AT to do everything that we can to understand what we are facing and how we work together to reduce as much of these incidents as we can,” Ip said.
“The nature of these incidents appears to reflect broader trends in society as many cities have seen violence rise in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, amid wider social pressures and economic strain,” van der Putten said.
Auckland Transport’s app has ways to report dangerous situations. RNZ / Jessica Hopkins
What public safety measures are being taken?
Auckland Transport has a page on its website with resources to improve safety.
AT is “continuously monitoring and adapting our strategies to prevent harm and respond” when incidents happen, van der Putten said.
People can report dangerous or threatening behaviour immediately by:
“Our awareness of incidents is increasing as we’ve made it easier for customers to report their experience through to us,” van der Putten said.
There are also bright orange “safety points” at every major bus, train and ferry terminal. The help button on them will connect people to the Auckland Transport Operations Centre which operates 24 hours a day. It won’t connect directly to emergency services so if people are in immediate danger they should contact 111.
AT said it has seen a “moderate” increase in safety point usage and has also launched a public awareness campaign to draw more attention to them.
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There are red emergency buttons on trains which immediately alert the driver to incidents on board.
Auckland Transport also has more than 4800 CCTV cameras in place around the city which are monitored from the operations centre.
There are also a total of 54 Auckland Transport Officers and six supervisors who monitor buses, trains and ferries.
“They are trained in self-awareness, situational awareness, incident management and de-escalation and tactical communication techniques,” van der Putten said.
They also are trained to escalate incidents to NZ Police but not physically intervene.
“We will be there at the earliest opportunity,” Ip said.
Police do not patrol buses and trains on a regular basis.
“We can’t be there on every single bus, it’s just not feasible,” Ip said.
The transport officers get a comprehensive six-week induction course supplemented through ongoing mentored field training, van der Putten said.
“We can confidently say, addressing these complexities has proven challenging across all sectors and takes a collective approach, working with police, other agencies, and communities.”
An electric double-decker bus in rainy Auckland conditions. Auckland Transport / supplied
Should I be worried about getting on a bus? What can the public do?
“Our recommendation is that everyone stay vigilant regardless of how they move around our city and communities,” van der Putten said.
“Stay aware of your surroundings, secure your belongings, and know how to get help when needed.”
“Trust your gut feeling,” Ip said. Avoid confrontations if you can or try to move away or get off the public transport, he said.
“The key is to try to de-escalate, not to increase the risk to your personal safety.”
Basic safety tips like keeping valuables out of sight and avoiding being too distracted by your headphones also is important, van der Putten said.
If a violent incident is unfolding in front of you while on a bus or train, keep calm, Ip said, and contact police as soon as you can when it’s safe to do so.
“I think the main message that we want to get out there is that whilst reporting an incident is important, nothing is as important as your safety, everyone’s safety.”
It’s also important that friends or family generally know where and when you are travelling, and you have access to a phone for emergencies.
If you’re a tourist, you should be aware of how to contact New Zealand authorities using 111.
If you’re travelling alone and have concerns, staying in visible lighting, with people around you if possible, or sitting close to the driver can also help.
“Just trying to be more visible in terms of where you are is actually quite important,” Ip said.
It’s going to be a big year for Auckland Transport with the upcoming $5.5 billion City Rail Link opening, and van der Putten said the agency is well positioned for it.
“We have developed extensive training and development programmes for our network staff, including transport officers, security and customer service teams, control centre operators.
“These initiatives aim to enhance monitoring, increase visibility, bolster security, and ensure a rapid response to incidents from the very first day.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
