Greater Wellington Regional Council has agreed to lift urban bus driver wages up to $30 per hour, which will take effect this weekend.

Wellington has struggled to get on top of a shortage of about 125 drivers.

People have been packed into buses like sardines, many have been left stranded on the side of the road, and some have resorted to taking Ubers or working from home.

Metlink has already previously topped up driver wages to a new base rate of $27 an hour to retain and attract drivers.

The Government then announced late last year it will spend $61 million towards lifting bus driver wages even further to address nationwide worker shortages that have seen massive service disruptions across the country.

The regional council today agreed to match Wellington’s local share of this money, meaning wages will be lifted up to $30 per hour in urban areas and $28 per hour in regional areas.

Councillor Thomas Nash hoped the wage increase will improve retention and recruitment, but stressed the move was primarily about showing drivers they are valued.

“This is about our existing driver workforce as much as it is about recruiting new people.”

Councillor Adrienne Staples pointed out the wage increase equated to only about $60,000 a year.

“We need to keep our foot on the pedal for those other things that matter- the breaks, the conditions, the toilets and let our drivers know they are respected and loved.”

Drivers will be paid the new wage from April 1, subject to a memorandum of understanding being signed between Metlink, bus operators, unions, and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.

Councillor Adrienne Staples said the council needs to keep its foot on the pedal for better bus driver conditions too. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Wages will be back-dated if this memorandum of understanding is not signed by Saturday.

The first full year of these new wages will cost about $2.3m, of which the regional council will pay half. This is already budgeted for in the coming year’s draft annual plan.

Councillor Ros Connelly said the wage increase was a testament to the work the regional council has done to actively insert itself into the relationship between operators and bus drivers.

She said there was a time when the regional council took a “hands-off approach” to wages and contracts.

Although council chairman Daran Ponter said this relationship has previously been characterised as sacrosanct and the council was told it should not be a part of it.

He reminded his colleagues the money from the Government to lift wages did not come out of thin air and has come after a lot of “nagging and pushing” from the council.

“More money in drivers’ pockets will be much needed,” he said.

“When coupled with things like fair pay agreements, improving driver conditions, and overseas drivers coming through the recruitment pipeline, it is now possible to start being optimistic that the driver drought will ease in coming months and we can get back to regular services.”