RTBU renews safety push following Charlestown bus driver stabbing

newy.com.au – A Newcastle bus driver has been taken to hospital after police alleged he was punched and wounded with a knife during a late-night incident on a bus at Charlestown on Wednesday 25 February 2026.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) said the alleged attack showed existing protections were failing, renewing calls for urgent action to improve safety for drivers and passengers across the region’s public transport network.

NSW Police said emergency services were called to the Pacific Highway at Charlestown shortly after 11pm following reports the driver had been assaulted while on duty. Police were told a passenger punched the driver and then struck his hand with a knife before fleeing the scene, with paramedics treating the driver at the location before taking him to John Hunter Hospital for further assessment.

Officers from Police Transport Command North Central began inquiries and later stopped to speak with a man at a bus stop on nearby Pearson Avenue, police said. Police alleged that as officers attempted to arrest him, one officer was punched in the face and the man tried to leave before he was arrested after a brief foot pursuit.

A 23-year-old man was taken to Belmont Police Station and charged with five offences: armed with intent commit indictable offence, reckless wounding, hinder or resist police officer in the execution of duty, assault police officer in execution of duty without actual bodily harm, and fail to comply with direction. He was refused bail and was due to appear before Bail Division Court 2 on Thursday 26 February.

In a statement on Friday, RTBU NSW Tram and Bus Division President Peter Grech described the incident as a “horrific” escalation in violence against transport workers and urged an urgent safety response on Newcastle buses. “This is a horrific attack on a worker who was simply doing his job,” Grech said, with the union pointing to what it described as a series of violent incidents in recent months.

The union said it wanted immediate discussions to strengthen protections for drivers and passengers, and called on Keolis Downer, the private operator of Newcastle’s contracted bus services, to work urgently with authorities and frontline staff on practical measures to prevent further incidents.

The RTBU argued that CCTV and duress systems had not stopped repeated assaults and said extra on-the-ground deterrence and protective design changes were needed, including greater police support during high-risk periods and improved incident reporting. The union has also previously pushed for physical barriers, arguing security screens can reduce the risk of driver assault.

Concerns about violence on buses have surfaced in the past year, including a February 2025 report by Newcastle Weekly on two alleged assaults involving bus drivers, with two 14-year-old boys arrested and charged. That report said the RTBU had sought extra police assistance across the network, a stronger revenue protection presence, and improved reporting systems.

Police investigations into the Charlestown incident are continuing and the accused man’s case is expected to proceed through the courts, with the allegations not proven. The RTBU said it was pressing for urgent talks on additional protections, arguing the latest incident showed current settings were not keeping frontline workers safe.