NZ Bus Sets Up Trust Fund For Family

In the two days since the tragic death of Herman Curry at the Waterloo base of our Valley Flyer business, much has happened inside our business. We have supported police enquiries, but our primary efforts have focused entirely on supporting Herman’s family and the wider Valley Flyer family of drivers and other staff.

“Our drivers are a multi-cultural team with strong ties to their respective culture’s, to their friends and colleagues. I have been humbled to witness the outpouring of support from our people” said Mr. Zane Fulljames CEO NZ Bus.

NZ Bus was invited to visit Herman’s family home yesterday evening to provide support, with two busloads of senior staff, management, drivers and workshop personnel attending to show their respect, pray and sing, led by cultural leaders from our business. This followed a blessing of the site earlier in the day, where police allowed us access to where Mr. Curry had fallen. The site was blessed by Samoan and Maori leaders in the presence of family and colleagues.

“Yesterday, we confirmed with the Curry family that we would establish a trust to provide financial assistance to them through the days ahead. An account with BNZ was opened this morning, with a $15 000 contribution from NZ Bus” continued Mr. Fulljames.

Any contributions to the Curry Family Trust can be made directly into BNZ account 02-0506-0017774-000.

Many of our staff are shaken by the devastating news of Mr. Curry’s death, and NZ Bus is providing ongoing support and access to counseling services.

Concerns have been expressed in some quarters about aspects of security and driver safety, and we are taking these concerns very seriously. Security personnel have remained on site at Waterloo since the incident, and we have conducted interim reviews of our other sites and taken additional measures where appropriate. A full internal investigation has commenced to identify any additional steps which may be needed.

“Central and local government agencies, Bus and Coach Association, Regional Councils – GWRC and Auckland Transport, Unions and PT operators need to get together and review the causal factors behind this tragic event and take clear decisive action to ensure that there are no repeats” says Mr. Fulljames

“The assertion that this is an employer/employee issue is offensive and diminishes the loss of life that has occurred. There are no singular solutions here, CCTV will capture and record an incident but will not prevent it, caging my people in will only move the issue outside the depot gates” Mr. Fulljames went on to say.

Mr. Fulljames said “The industry, funders and lawmakers have an opportunity to make some good come from a terrible incident. We have worked hard as NZ Bus to reduce the risk to our people by reducing the amount of cash in our business substantially through the implementation of smartcard ticketing systems. Perhaps the opportunity here is to take the last minor leap and remove the risk of cash in PT entirely.”

NZ Bus also wishes to thank in particular Greater Wellington Regional Council, Auckland Transport, KiwiRail, Wellington Chamber of Commerce, the wider Infratil Group and Board, and all staff across New Zealand for their support for the family of Herman Curry and staff at Valley Flyer following this tragic event.

ENDS

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