Wellington Bus Driver

Wellington Bus Driver I have been driving buses around Wellington, New Zealand longer than I like to think about. I make videos for fun and education.

19/01/2026

🚏UPDATE 🚍

Some of you may know, I have Parkinson’s Disease.
Since my diagnosis (about 7 years ago), I have been very open to management about having Parkinsons and that I would quit should my driving become dangerous.

In mid 2025, I noticed my reaction times were being affected (resulting in a number of near accidents with parked cars).
After talking with my doctor and Parkinson’s specialist, it has been decided that I should not drive buses (and trucks) anymore.
Which means my Class 2&4 will invalidated by NZTA. Unfortunately my driver instructor and assessor accreditation are tied to me holding this license. I can not teach driving.
There are no jobs available a Kinetic that do not require driving a bus.
So, after 30 plus years of working for the same company, I am out of a job.

I would like to thank all the people who have watched my videos and got something out of them.
The videos will stay up. I just not sure if there will be any new ones.

24/01/2025

Yes, bendy buses are coming to Wellington, for route 2, starting mid-2026.
Why route 2? Because it is the only high-demand bus route double-decker buses can’t use, due to the Karori and Seatoun tunnels not being tall enough. Last year, late at night, they drove a diesel bendy bus along the route to see if it would fit and what changes the council would need to make. For the last two days, it has been back to drive the route in “normal” traffic. So council can see if the route needs any more improvements.
Note the buses Wellington will get will be brand new electric powered bendy buses. 

30/06/2024

An apology
For not posting route videos to YouTube for a long time

It has not been because I don’t want to, I know the usefulness of these videos to help new drivers at NZBus/Kinetic Wellington to learn the bus routes we drive.

Here are my reasons for the lack of videos:
1) time - my last couple of roles at the company have not seen me behind the steering wheel of a bus much.
2) road works - the routes keep changing. The videos are meant to help new drivers learn the routes not the diversions.
3) finding a replacement camera - the recording are done as one take and the last couple cameras I have bought and tried either won’t record for the whole trip or you can’t make out the image
4) hard drive space - the video files are not small
5) money - good cameras and hard drives aren’t cheap and I am not being paid by either the company or YouTube to make these videos.

Sorry that was a bit long. I haven’t given up.

Showing new drivers that the scary bus tunnel is not so scary
15/01/2024

Showing new drivers that the scary bus tunnel is not so scary

A friendly reminder from Metlink to drivers doing mid trip driver handover (swaps).
03/04/2023

A friendly reminder from Metlink to drivers doing mid trip driver handover (swaps).

03/04/2023

Feels like it has been ages since I drove a bus “in service.”
Since Christmas I have a full time new bus driver trainer.
We have had a large intake of new drivers both domestic and overseas. The largest group to start at the same time is 22 people.
The overseas drivers take more time to train as they have to convert their licenses to NZ licenses, which requires a lot of red tape to be dealt with.

Flashback Back when the driving class system was introduced in NZ, most of the then Stagecoach NZ large (3 axle) bus fle...
28/11/2022

Flashback
Back when the driving class system was introduced in NZ, most of the then Stagecoach NZ large (3 axle) bus fleet were classed a Class4.
This ment new drivers with only Class2 licenses couldn’t drive them.
This made a mess of mid trip driver changes.
So StagecoachNZ got a Class exemption so Class2 drivers could drive these Class4 buses. All buses has to show this letter to be exempt.
Later on the weight limit of what was classed as a Class4 vehicle was raised so most the buses were reclassified as Class2, so didn’t need the exemption.

Look who is back at Kaiwharawhara depot. And they brought a friend.
20/10/2022

Look who is back at Kaiwharawhara depot.
And they brought a friend.

Hopped on a bus at Christchurch airport without paying attention to what it was. As it drove off I realised it was a qui...
30/09/2022

Hopped on a bus at Christchurch airport without paying attention to what it was. As it drove off I realised it was a quiet EV

Chilling out at Eastbourne.
30/07/2022

Chilling out at Eastbourne.

Drivers’ new rest area on Thorndon Quay. No EV charging yet.
17/02/2022

Drivers’ new rest area on Thorndon Quay.
No EV charging yet.

But someone didn’t tell Snapper about the shift changes. A lot of free rides today as Snapper has the wrong trip data.Y...
04/02/2022

But someone didn’t tell Snapper about the shift changes. A lot of free rides today as Snapper has the wrong trip data.
Yes EVs on a lot NZBus routes in the weekend.
Unless the driver only has a Class2 license or the shift is based in Eastbourne.

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Between Pirie St & Waitoa Rd
Wellington
6011

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