File pic Photo: RNZ / Todd Niall
A bus driver has been seriously injured after being stabbed in the Auckland suburb of Mt Roskill last night.
Emergency services were called to White Swan Road in Mt Roskill at about 7.30pm and police confirmed a person was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Auckland Tramways Union president Gary Froggatt said the injured bus driver was one of their members.
He said the driver was stabbed twice during an altercation with a passenger.
"He was confronted by a passenger, unfortunately the altercation moved to the footpath and the offender stabbed the bus driver twice.
"Thank goodness the knife just scraped his lungs and didn't puncture his lungs, and he was able to be stitched up fast," he said.
Froggatt understood the driver was in a stable condition in hospital.
Police have arrested a 62-year-old man who will appear in the Auckland District Court tomorrow, charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
In a statement, Auckland Transport said the company's thoughts are with the driver and his whānau.
"We want all our drivers to be safe and able to get home to their whānau at the end of their shift after providing such important services to Aucklanders.
"We will be working with our operator and NZ Police on their investigation to understand how this incident eventuated."
Froggatt said bus driver attacks are getting worse.
"In the old days, the arguments used to be over fares. Now we seem to get drunks and people on drugs trying to get free rides on the buses, and this is causing the concern."
Froggatt said bus drivers have been facing increasingly serious confrontations.
"I've been involved in the industry for a long time, and the incidents are getting worse rather than better."
Froggatt said Auckland Transport is trialing security screens on some buses, and bus drivers have been going through de-escalation training.
