20 Feb 2015

Bus driver king-hit by student

9:22 pm on 20 February 2015

A bus company says one of its drivers could be off work for weeks after being king-hit by a student and left with a broken cheekbone.

NZ Bus chief of operations Shane McMahon said the driver was shaken and a bit sore, but in good spirits.

Mr McMahon said the driver was serving other passengers when the Auckland secondary school student king-hit him.

He said once the driver recovered the company would launch a full investigation into what he called a shocking event.

"We have had some conversations with the police. The driver - his focus right now is just resting up, as I say, which is understandable. Once he's feeling a bit better then we'll work that process through with him and the police."

Mr McMahon said the driver had complained about the same student months earlier.

"We are in regular contact with the schools and if the behaviour of the students is out of line, then it's brought to the attention to the school.

"There's a big difference between a kid eating food on a bus and someone punching a driver with such force that they cause those sort of injuries."

Tramways Union national secretary Gary Froggatt said the driver could need reconstructive surgery to his face and was likely to be off work for weeks.

The principal of the boy's college, who cannot be named to abide by court rules, put out a statement saying the attack was completely unacceptable, with serious consequences for the student.

The principal said it had been dealt with "to the satisfaction of the school community", but would not discuss how.