Email threads regarding this incident (some line spacing removed):
From: Darek Koper (AT)
Sent: Wednesday, 6 March 2019 9:33 a.m.
To: Suresh Patel (AT) <[email address]>
Subject: RE: LGOIMA Howick & Eastern incident
Correct - Outcome of as disciplinary action is private and confidential.
Darek
From: Suresh Patel (AT)
Sent: Wednesday, 6 March 2019 8:56 a.m.
To: Darek Koper (AT) <[email address]>
Subject: Fwd: LGOIMA Howick & Eastern incident
Hi Darek
Is Disciplinary action taken against a bus driver protected under the Privacy Act as
indicates below?
I'm on my way to H&E to get the CCTV footage and for a meeting.
Thanks
Suresh
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
-------- Original message --------
From:
howbus.co.nz>
Date: 5/03/19 5:21 PM (GMT+12:00)
To: "Suresh Patel (AT)" <[email address]>
Cc: "Eloi Miranda Da Fonseca (AT)" <[email address]>
Subject: RE: LGOIMA Howick & Eastern incident
Hi Suresh,
Happy to load the CCTV for you tomorrow and as always have you at the meeting. The time
of 0950hrs wil  be fine 

On another note please can you check when Dareks next available slot is for the postponed
call we were to have on Monday?

Regards

HOWICK & EASTERN BUSES LTD

Favourite place – Seattle, Washington State, USA
Next Trip – Bali ,2019

From: Suresh Patel (AT) [mailto:[email address]]
Sent: Tuesday, 5 March 2019 4:47 PM
To:
@howbus.co.nz>
Cc: Eloi Miranda Da Fonseca (AT) <[email address]>
Subject: RE: LGOIMA Howick & Eastern incident

Hi

Many thanks for the detailed response.

I wil  bring a memory stick out to col ect the CCTV footage tomorrow – wil  9.50am be okay &
then I’l  join the team for the Monthly Operations meeting too?

For the record, what

Thank you and regards

Suresh Patel | PTOM Operator Implementation Manager & Assistant Operations Performance Manager
AT Metro Service Delivery | Integrated Networks
20 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland 1010
Private Bag 92250, Auckland 1142
P 09 447 5049 | M 021 914 282
www.at.govt.nz | [email address]

From:
@howbus.co.nz>
Sent: Tuesday, 5 March 2019 3:46 p.m.
To: Suresh Patel (AT) <[email address]>
Subject: RE: Howick & Eastern incident

Good afternoon Suresh,

Below is the email correspondence we received from AT after the incident. We responded
verbally to the email to advise AT that we were already processing the incident at the time of
notification.

We were aware of the incident on the morning: Both through the media and our driver (RT call
to report) had put a report in after his shift came in to the depot.

On viewing the footage from the media and our CCTV cameras from the bus, we were able to
determine the following:

•  The bus driver has placed himself in a compromised position by passing the cyclist,
he was too close to the traffic signals and this caused him to move left during the
passing manoeuvre reducing the space for cyclist.
•  Further to the point above the driver appears to have crossed the double yellow lines
during the manoeuvre
•  The Driver admit ed fault at a disciplinary meeting held on Monday 18th February
2019
•  In considering the action taking against the driver we fully considered the following
points:
a)      He can be seen watching the cyclist carefully in his mirror during
the manoeuvre
b)      His previous HR history
c)       His Driver performance monitoring score
d)      His immediate admission of fault
e)      And his remorseful attitude throughout the disciplinary process
•  The driver has received disciplinary action and further training has been booked with
our Training Centre

CCTV from the bus is available and supports the media footage, however it is a large file and
wil  only be available by memory stick if required. The driver has no Driving Performance
incidents prior to this on his record. His training was through NZQA unit standards.

We did note that the cyclist placed himself at risk by remaining stationary on the diagonal
yellow “no stopping” area at the end of Grafton Bridge/Symonds Street. We are acutely aware
that buses need all of this area to be clear of any traf ic as they negotiate the left hand turn
from Symonds Street onto Grafton Bridge and a much worse incident may have unfolded while
the cyclist remained in the no stopping area to film my driver and vehicle.

From:
@howbus.co.nz>
Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2019 11:49 a.m.
To: Suresh Patel (AT) <[email address]>
Cc: Eloi Miranda Da Fonseca (AT) <[email address]>; Darek Koper
(AT) <[email address]>
Subject: RE: LGOIMA assignment notification - CAS-987976-V7P9T5

Thanks Suresh I am gathering the available information for you now.

Regards

HOWICK & EASTERN BUSES LTD

Favourite place – Seattle, Washington State, USA
Next Trip – Bali ,2019

From: Suresh Patel (AT)
Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2019 11:00 a.m.
To:
@howbus.co.nz>
Cc: Eloi Miranda Da Fonseca (AT) <[email address]>; Darek Koper
(AT) <[email address]>
Subject: RE: LGOIMA assignment notification - CAS-987976-V7P9T5

Hi

The CRM case is actually Case number CAS-978429 that details the incident & response to
the incident in question (the other CAS number refers to the LGOIMA itself).

Regards

Suresh Patel | PTOM Operator Implementation Manager & Assistant Operations Performance Manager
AT Metro Service Delivery | Integrated Networks
20 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland 1010
Private Bag 92250, Auckland 1142

P 09 447 5049 | M 021 914 282
www.at.govt.nz | [email address]

From: Suresh Patel (AT)
Sent: Tuesday, 26 February 2019 4:30 p.m.
To:
@howbus.co.nz>
Cc: Eloi Miranda Da Fonseca (AT) <[email address]>; Darek Koper
(AT) <[email address]>
Subject: FW: LGOIMA assignment notification - CAS-987976-V7P9T5

Hi

We have received a LGOIMA (Local Government Of icial Information …) request for
information around the incident between cyclist Alec Tang vs H&E bus HE262 on Grafton
Bridge on 14 Feb.

Could you please provide all that you are able to in regard to this incident – see the information
request at the bottom of this email.

If there is any material withheld can you please state what and why (e.g Privacy Act).

Appreciate these requests take time to investigate and respond to. Hopefully you can do this
soon as it is a LGOIMA.

Thank you and regards

Suresh Patel | PTOM Operator Implementation Manager & Assistant Operations Performance Manager
AT Metro Service Delivery | Integrated Networks
20 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland 1010
Private Bag 92250, Auckland 1142

P 09 447 5049 | M 021 914 282
www.at.govt.nz | [email address]

From: Darek Koper (AT)
Sent: Tuesday, 26 February 2019 3:51 p.m.
To: Suresh Patel (AT) <[email address]>
Cc: David Tribe (AT) <[email address]>; Mario Zambuto (AT)
<[email address]>; CustomerLiaison (AT) <[email address]>
Subject: FW: LGOIMA assignment notification - CAS-987976-V7P9T5

Hi Suresh,

Can you please collate the information requested below?

This appears to be in relation to the same incident we met with
from Bike
Auckland last week.

The correspondence with him maybe released and it wil meet the requirements of the request.

Other information in regards to driver and internal conversations within H&E are not available
– they don’t exist within AT, unless you have since received update from H&E.

The reference to dashcam view is for that posted on Twitter by Alec from his GoPro camera.
I can not see request for CCTV footage from a bus.

Thanks
Darek

From: David Tribe (AT)
Sent: Tuesday, 26 February 2019 1:52 p.m.
To: CustomerLiaison (AT) <[email address]>; Transport Ops CFT (AT)
<[email address]>
Cc: Mario Zambuto (AT) <[email address]>; Darek Koper (AT)
<[email address]>
Subject: RE: LGOIMA assignment notification - CAS-987976-V7P9T5

Hi Darek – can you lead from the bus team please.  I note that the provision of dashcam
footage may well breach Privacy Act requirements, but can you focus on any investigation
with H&E?

Thanks

Dave

From: CustomerLiaison (AT)
Sent: Tuesday, 26 February 2019 1:20 p.m.
To: Transport Ops CFT (AT) <[email address]>; David Tribe (AT)
<[email address]>
Cc: Mario Zambuto (AT) <[email address]>
Subject: LGOIMA assignment notification - CAS-987976-V7P9T5

Kia Ora

Date Received
BU 5-day  BU Due Date
LGOIMA Team
Assessment
deadline
18 February 2019
ASAP
11 March 2019
18 March 2019

The LGOIMA case below has been allocated to Transport Ops CFT and AT  Metro to provide
a response.
The starting point when responding to a LGOIMA request is that AT is obligated to provide the
information requested if held, unless there is good reason to withhold/refuse under the
LGOIMA.

ASAP please email [email address] to let us know:

1.  Can you/your team provide the information requested?
2.  Should this request go to a different Agency?
3.  Is the request clear? Or does it require clarification or refinement their request? (NB.
You can call the customer to ensure you have understood the request properly.  Please
tell me if you have obtained refinement or clarification and make a note of your
conversation.)
4.  Wil  this request take longer than 5 hours to collate the information? If yes, please let
us know ASAP.
5.  If you have the information BUT you are unable to provide the information by ASAP.  If
so, please let us know when you wil  be able to collate the information.

The response letter and the attachments must be approved by your T3 manager. Please
email the response to [email address] ASAP.

Thank you for your assistance and please contact us if you have any queries regarding this
assignment.
Kind regards

Alison Hosey | LGOIMA Business Partner
Customer Liaison Team | Customer Experience
20 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland 1010

-----Original Message-----
From: Hugh Davenport <[FYI request #9616 email]>
Sent: Monday, 18 February 2019 12:09 p.m.
To: AT Official Information (AT) <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Information about the complaint process of a specific bus

Dear Auckland Transport,

I would like to request any and al  correspondence with the public, the operators, and anything
internal with regards to the near miss incident involving a cyclist on the Grafton Bridge on 14th
February at 7:35am. The bus in question was HE262, rego JAF146. Dashcam footage both front and
rear are available at https://twitter.com/AlecTang_/status/1095763202040770560.

Note, any internal correspondence within the operator is said to be held by the Agency under s 2(6)
of the LGOIMA, so I would like any internal correspondence within the operator in addition. This
could include discussions with this particular driver about road safety and responsibilities, or
discussions with drivers in general about sharing the road with other road users.

I would also like to request how many reports about dangerous driving have involve the particular
driver on shift, and what the outcome for the driver was in this particular instance.

Going forward, I would like to request what AT is doing to improve road safety for all road users.

In addition, I would like to request whether the Police were notified of the event.

Yours faithfully,

Hugh Davenport

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FYI request #9616 email]

Is [Auckland Transport request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to Auckland
Transport? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?body=auckland_transport

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy
and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link
to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

Email threads with Cycle Action Network in reference to this incident:
From: Suresh Patel (AT)
Sent: Wednesday, 6 March 2019 3:37 p.m.
To:
@can.org.nz)
@can.org.nz>
Subject: CAN Driver training programme at Howick & Eastern buses

Hi

I’m currently responding to a LGOIMA request in relation to the Alec Tang cyclist vs bus
incident on Grafton Bridge on 14 Feb.

This morning I collected CCTV footage from H&E.
mentioned you had been out there
last year to do some cycle awareness training with the Driver Trainers.

Would you be able to provide me with the material provided and the date you were there
please?

Thank you and regards

Suresh Patel | PTOM Operator Implementation Manager & Assistant Operations Performance Manager
AT Metro Service Delivery | Integrated Networks
20 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland 1010
Private Bag 92250, Auckland 1142

P 09 447 5049 | M 021 914 282
www.at.govt.nz | [email address]

From:
@can.org.nz <[email address]>
Sent: Monday, 25 February 2019 12:42 p.m.
To: Suresh Patel (AT) <[email address]>
Cc: Darek Koper (AT) <[email address]>; '
' '

Subject: RE: Reporting an incident

Hello Suresh and Darek, thank you for your time on Friday. Please find the attached Driver
Competency resource which I am happy to meet and discuss wit the view of presenting it to
the Auckland Bus operators for use in their driver assessment and training programmes.

, to follow up on the incident with Alec, I asked Suresh to send details on the best way
to get action after an incident involving a bus driver and a cyclist. Suresh and Darek stressed
bus operators are very focussed on reducing the number of complaints they receive that are
logged and recorded through the Auckland Transport System. Only by logging them through
the system can action be taken with the driver who was involved, it is hard to achieve this
otherwise. This also enables Auckland Transport to stay in the loop and be able to keep
records on companies who are getting complaints. Note at the time I met with Darek and
Suresh there had been no complaint received about the incident on Grafton Bridge.

The information may be a good resource for a piece to go to the BA readers.

Please get back to me if you have any questions, or would like to talk about this.

Warmly

¦ Cycling Action Network ¦
l

¦ www.sharetheroad.org.nz



From: Suresh Patel (AT) <[email address]>
Sent: Monday, 25 February 2019 11:41 AM
To:
@can.org.nz)

Cc: Darek Koper (AT) <[email address]>
Subject: Reporting an incident

Hi

It was good to meet you and find out how we can work together to make our roads a safe
place for cyclists.

Please send a copy of the material we discussed. Waiheke Bus Company are keen to test
and use it with their drivers.

With regards to reporting an incident involving a bus, whether it’s a near miss or a collision,
it’s best for cyclists to log this through our website.

At the time of an incident the most important details to capture are the time, place & Bus
Number.
The Bus Number is a 2-letter and 1-4-digit identifier that is unique to each bus, eg. BT97 or
NB2403. The letters identify the operator (BT=Birkenhead Transport, NB=NZBus, etc).
The Bus Number is found in four places around the bus -  on the front under the driver’s
windscreen, above the front wheel arches on each side and at the rear near the top.

By calling 09 366 6400 or using the website https:/ at.govt.nz/ and the above information AT
can quickly pass this on to the operator who can then easily identify the bus & the driver to
investigate.
As all AT buses have cameras they can then retrieve & view CCTV footage of the incident.
This is particularly useful to provide objective evidence and to help with further education.
Once logged AT can then monitor the resolution of these cases.
There is a 10-day period within which bus operators are expected to respond to the case if
required.
Logging a case can also help us identify trends and hotspots so we can develop safer
practices.

For serious incidents the Police should also be contacted.

To log feedback or a complaint through the website:
1. click on “Contact us” found at the top and bottom of the homepage.
2. Click on “Feedback form” or “Report a problem” on the sidebar. For a complaint the
report a problem page is better as you can add photos

Hope you find this useful to pass on to your network.

Let me know if there is any other information you require.

Kind regards

Suresh Patel | PTOM Operator Implementation Manager & Assistant Operations Performance Manager
AT Metro Service Delivery | Integrated Networks
20 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland 1010
Private Bag 92250, Auckland 1142
P 09 447 5049 | M 021 914 282
www.at.govt.nz | [email address]
From: Darek Koper (AT)
Sent: Tuesday, 19 February 2019 1:01 p.m.
To: Suresh Patel (AT) <[email address]>

Cc: Eloi Miranda Da Fonseca (AT) <[email address]>
Subject: FW: FW: Dangerous bus driving incident
Hi Suresh,
Can you follow up with
on setting up training session with WBC to improve road
sharing with cyclists on the island?
Background info below and in the attached. I wil  send you an invite to join my meeting with
on Friday.
Darek
From:
@can.org.nz>
Sent: Tuesday, 19 February 2019 9:38 a.m.
To: Darek Koper (AT) <[email address]>
Subject: Re: FW: Dangerous bus driving incident
Thank you Darek, yes I wil  see you at 2.00pm on Friday.
Warmly
On Tue, 19 Feb 2019, 8:16 am Darek Koper (AT), <[email address]> wrote:
Hi
Those incidents are concerning.
I am available on Friday at 2pm if you are able to meet at AT offices.
Regards,
Darek
From:
@can.org.nz>
Sent: Friday, 15 February 2019 8:13 a.m.
To: Darek Koper (AT) <[email address]>
Subject: Fwd: FW: Dangerous bus driving incident
Hello again Darek, another incident to discuss.
Warmly

From:
@can.org.nz>
Sent: Friday, 15 February 2019 7:48 a.m.
To: Darek Koper (AT) <[email address]>
Subject: Fwd: buses on Grafton Bridge
Morning Darek, can we talk about this. I would like to avoid the deep divisions that are
occurring in Wel ington with bus companies and cyclists in Auckland.
I wil  be in at AT for a meeting at 4.00pm this afternoon.
Warmly
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From:
Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2019, 7:14 am
Subject: RE: buses on Grafton Bridge
Hi J – we need AT to step up to engage with the bus companies.
is our resident
expert on how we progress this occasional but significant issue.
From:
Sent: Thursday, 14 February 2019 10:38 PM
Subject: buses on Grafton Bridge
Poor old Alec Tang had a rotten run-in with a bus on Grafton Bridge today.
See video here, and the reverse view footage below it (extremely hairy), and vigorous
discussion (this is only part of it - the thread diverges in several directions):
https://twitter.com/AlecTang_/status/1095763202040770560
And here’s the related TVNZ story: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/watch-
auckland-cyclist-confronts-driver-after-bus-nearly-runs-him-off-road?variant=tb_v_1
I simply don’t understand why bus drivers aren’t instructed they must not overtake cyclists on
Grafton Bridge. It’s so short, it’s a 30kmh zone, there’s a double yellow line, and everyone
winds up at the red light anyhow. Surely this is a glaring safety issue that AT could fix instantly,
as part of its safety push…? Is this something Bike Auckland could call for in a blog post, as
a sensible measure that wil  save lives and make this vital conduit a safer and more attractive
link?

(I also see comment about how Park Road is apparently up for renewal soon - to smooth the
buses through? It’s a famous conflict zone for people on bikes - a case for a tactical project
linking the coming K Road upgrade to Carlton Gore, and thence to the corridor along
Broadway…? Maybe we need some Auckland Hospital doctors to blog for us…)
Best,
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) entries – Case no. CAS-978429-N2L9L0:

Document Outline