Bus driver's pay hardly enough to feed family

Pawan Malik frets over his stranded passengers, even though some of them abuse him. Picture / Paul Estcourt

Rookie bus driver Pawan Malik loves his job and frets over stranding his passengers while on strike for six days, but says he cannot support his family on what he earns.

Mr Malik, who joined Stagecoach in November and earns $12.57 an hour while he waits to be promoted to the standard wage of $13.94, says he often has little more than $100 left a week to feed and clothe his family after paying rent and the cost of driving to work.

His is a one-income family, as his wife stays at home to care for the couple's two preschool children, and he also supports a brother who is a student and does not have a permit to work in New Zealand.

"In my culture it is my responsibility to take care of all the people in my house," says Indian-born Mr Malik, 31, who arrived in this country three years ago with a diploma in hotel management and a degree.

But his is no mean feat, and he was dismayed last month to be unable to enter his 2-year-old son on a preschool centre waiting list after finding he had only $30 left in the bank against a booking fee of $50.

He receives up to $200 a fortnight in family support payments, depending on how many hours he works, but says he does not like falling back on social welfare assistance.

Mr Malik says he respects the way Stagecoach runs its Auckland bus operation, holds his supervisors in the highest regard, and would never speak ill of an organisation "that feeds my family".

He is also concerned at the effect of the strike on those of his passengers who depend on public transport, particularly the older ones.

But he says that although he loves his job - especially meeting people and "always being on the move" - it is often very demanding and he regularly has to cope with abusive passengers.

"The other day my mate got punched and I often get spat at - we have to put up with this."

Mr Malik usually leaves his modest Te Atatu peninsular home, which he rents for $260 a week, about 5.30am to sign on at Stagecoach's central Auckland bus depot at 6am.

He says it costs him about $50 a week to get to and from work as there is no public transport available for those who drive the first buses of the day.

He is usually stood down for about three hours - sometimes longer - during offpeak hours for a daily allowance of $3.63 before resuming duties until knocking off about 6.30 or 7.

This means he is often not home until 7.30 - 14 hours after setting out.

Mr Malik is afraid he will never be able to save enough money to visit his parents in India. He has not seen them since he arrived in New Zealand.