Photo: Duoya Lu
Explainer - A series of unprovoked attacks on Auckland public transport - including a fatal stabbing last month - have raised concerns about the safety of riders and drivers in Aotearoa's biggest city.
Auckland Transport says the vast majority of public transport goes by without incident, and it has set up a variety of public safety measures.
What can people do if they're worried about their own safety on public transport? Here's what you need to know.
What's been happening on Auckland public transport?
From January to December 2025, there were 2161 reported incidents of "aggression, violence, racism, discrimination, and inappropriate behaviour" on Auckland public transport, said Auckland Transport's Director of Public Transport and Active Modes, Stacey van der Putten.
"The number of reported cases fluctuates across the months, ranging from a low of 84 cases in December 2025 to a peak of 249 cases in March 2025," she said.
The rough average from those numbers would work out to about six reported incidents per day in 2025.
There have been several violent incidents on or around Auckland transport in recent weeks. A passenger suffered moderate injuries in an apparently unprovoked attack by a group of people earlier this month, while a young
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