Transit Systems NSW has reinforced its commitment to safe, accessible public transport, welcoming Guide Dogs Australia and puppies in training to its Smeaton Grange depot today for a hands on program focused on helping more people travel safely and confidently by bus.
The practical session brought Transit Systems bus drivers together with Guide Dogs Australia facilitators, Puppy Development Advisers and puppies in training to strengthen safety and accessibility from both sides of the lead, helping future guide dogs gain early exposure to buses while giving frontline staff deeper insight into how to support customers who travel with a Guide Dog.
Transit Systems NSW Managing Director Rino Matarazzo said safety sits at the heart of every journey, and the partnership showed how practical training and community collaboration can help make public transport safer and more accessible for everyone.
“At Transit Systems NSW, we work incredibly hard to ensure the community can access public transport safely, confidently and with dignity,” Mr Matarazzo said. “Every customer should feel safe and supported when they travel with us, including people who rely on Guide Dogs to move independently through the community. This program gives future Guide Dogs valuable real world experience and gives our team practical knowledge and experience to help customers who are blind or have low vision. It reflects our ongoing commitment to safe, inclusive journeys one bus trip at a time.”
Guide Dogs NSW/ACT spokesperson Sybilla Vaughan said “we’ve found the training successful and beneficial. People generally want to assist and they want to do the right thing but there’s a barrier when they don’t know what to do. This training enables both bus drivers and the public to gain the knowledge, confidence and skills to provide that assistance to ensure we can all travel comfortably on buses.”
For the puppies, the depot provided a safe, controlled introduction to the sights, sounds and movement of public transport. Guided by their handlers and trainers, they practised approaching the bus, boarding safely, settling on board and disembarking before taking a short familiarisation ride on a nearby route.
For Transit Systems NSW, the program combined an awareness workshop with a practical demonstration focused on safe interactions, respectful communication, keeping access paths clear and supporting safe, dignified journeys for people using Guide Dogs.
The training reinforces the role public transport employees play in helping customers with a disability safely access buses and move around the community with confidence and independence.
