Temporary bus service changes

Published
Several bus operators across Greater Sydney have made temporary service adjustments to deal with driver shortages across the industry.

A Transport for NSW spokesperson says like other States across Australia, NSW is dealing with an unprecedented bus driver shortage and has introduced adjusted timetables.

“These temporary timetable adjustments in regions 6, 7, and 9, offer reliably predictable route services, rather than cancelling services ad hoc, and give more certainty to commuters when planning their trip as they cater to customer needs based on driver availability,” the spokesperson said.

“We will continue to work with operators and scheduling experts to ensure timetable adjustments are as efficient as possible and are working towards reinstating suspended services as soon as possible.”

Timetable adjustments were introduced for region 6, in the Inner West and Sydney's South, in December 2022, while region 7‘s, in Ryde and surrounds, new timetable was introduced on Friday 27 January 2023. An adjusted timetable for region 9, in the Eastern suburbs, will be introduced from Monday 30 January 2023.

“We will continue to monitor the network and adjust timetables as needed. Commuters across these regions can find the latest timetables on Transportnsw.info and on the planning apps,” the spokesperson said.

“We continue to support operators in the recruitment of drivers and we are currently running bus driver recruitment campaigns across the network.

“We thank the community for working with us during this time and encourage anyone interested in becoming a driver to find out more here”.

Transport for NSW is also working closely with all private bus operators on several strategies to address driver shortages and is closely monitoring their progress.

They include:
- recruiting bus drivers through depot open days, information stalls, providing bonuses and increased marketing and media.
- redesigning it’s shifts to improve operational efficiency and reduce the number of drivers required.

Buses may still be operating at reduced service levels on any given day due to unplanned driver absences. Please check the Trip Planner before you travel.