Things we shouldn't have to discuss: How to take a bus

Implementing Wellington's new bus network certainly hasn't been smooth sailing, and there's plenty of work yet to be done to get things running properly. For one thing, the bus companies need to hire the right amount of drivers, pay them fairly, and put the right number of buses on the routes they contracted to deliver. But we Wellingtonians can also do our bit to help things work in the meantime too.

I travel on the Karori buses occasionally, and like many people I've noticed that there are capacity problems, with buses full up when they travel down Lambton Quay, and passengers are being turned away by drivers, which causes real frustration and isn't sustainable for a modern public transport network. This even happens after peak travel time, with some no.2 buses leaving passengers behind on the Quay even after 7pm on weeknights. Perhaps switching the Northland buses so they start at the station and the Wright's Hill buses to go via the University has inadvertently placed too much pressure on the remaining Karori service. Oh well, we have a history of making duff decisions about public transport (Karori losing its tram service in 1954, for starters)

So for whatever reason there's a capacity shortfall on the Karori route. Unfortunately with the no.2 route having all the tunnels (Karori, Mt Vic and Seatoun), using larger capacity double-decker buses isn't an option. One solution to this is to refit the existing buses with fewer seats and more standing area for passengers. This was derided by the usual skeptics at the time it was announced a few months ago, but as short-term measures go it made sense - you can simply fit more people in standing rather than seated.

There are also a few simple strategies we could each take to help things work more smoothly. Passengers should continuously move down the aisle to allow the maximum number of people aboard. This is hardly a revolutionary concept, I admit, but people don't seem to be aware that others might need to get on the bus they themselves successfully boarded. This includes standing in the rear door well and in the raised rear aisle over the engine; I agree it's not super-convenient but it's better than fellow travellers being stranded. No-one should be sitting on the aisle seats to preserve a spare window seat for their bag - that's simple good manners. And there are things we can do to speed up the service so it runs on time. If you're sufficiently mobile, you should make the move towards the exit before the bus halts, rather than making everyone wait for you to extract yourself and move down the aisle. And passengers should be asked politely to always exit through the rear doors, to allow passengers to board quickly through the front doors.

On this evening's bus ride home a mother with a pram at the Bowen House stop was refused entry by the driver with a curt, 'No room for you'. She must've wondered what she'd done to offend him. Firstly, obviously bus drivers should be polite to all passengers and particularly parents travelling with babies. Everyone should do their level best to make room for them. On the other hand, when things are crowded it's perfectly legitimate to ask people with prams to fold them up before boarding: this is common on buses in England, which are designed with plenty of room to park the prams. We can do this, Wellington!

Delaney Davidson

Delaney Davidson plays Meow in Wellington on his Shining Day tour, 17 November.

Whistle while you work

Testifying

Jillett's whaling station

Jillett's whaling station at the north end of Kapiti Island, in a 1907 watercolour by Walter Armiger Bowring, after an 1844 sketch by John Alexander Gilfillan. From an exhibition at Pataka in Porirua.