Conflict Management Training for Public Service Vehicle Staff

Course Background

Public transport staff face unique challenges dealing with confrontational and aggressive passengers. Bus drivers, conductors, station staff and others often encounter verbal abuse, harassment, threats and even physical violence.

This hostile work environment negatively impacts employee wellbeing, absenteeism, turnover and passenger service. Without proper training, staff may lack skills to safely defuse tensions before they escalate.

Some key conflict risks transport staff face include:

• Fare disputes and refusal to pay from passengers.
• Antisocial behaviour like vandalism, drunkenness.
• Abusive and disruptive passengers.
• Escalating tensions between travelling groups.
• Verbal and physical harassment of staff.
• Potential assaults requiring police intervention.
• Challenging situations like removing passengers

This course equips public transport staff with vital skills to manage conflicts and foster safer, more positive environments for employees and passengers alike.

Purpose

This intensive one-day course aims to provide transport staff skills to handle aggressive and confrontational passengers through interactive training on:

• Spotting early signs of escalation.
• Using de-escalation and communication techniques. Assessing
• Assessing threats and risks.
• Defusing tensions while maintaining control.
• Enforcing policies and removing passengers safely.
• Judging when to involve security/police.
• Protecting personal safety in volatile situations.
• Appropriate follow-up like incident reporting.

Staff will gain practical conflict resolution, mediation, and communication skills to take control of challenging interactions. They will handle aggressive passengers, defuse tensions, and prevent disputes escalating into serious incidents.

The outcome is improved staff wellbeing, passenger relations and public safety. Transport networks gain reputations as safer, more positive environments for all.

Training Delivery

The conflict management training will be delivered in an engaging, flexible manner to encourage interactive learning. Staff will be urged to actively participate through discussions, role-plays, and practical exercises to embed new skills.

The relaxed yet focused environment allows for sharing experiences and perspectives from learners’ real-world contexts. The trainer facilitates with an informal, open style using relevant public transport case studies.

A variety of interactive methods ensure concepts are applied through realistic scenarios:

• Roleplays to practice defusing aggressive passengers and enforcing policies. Staff receive coaching and feedback.
• Small groups to brainstorm strategies, pool experiences, and develop teamwork.
• Self-reflection to increase self-awareness and integrate techniques into individual learning styles. Case
• Case analyses of workplace incidents to deepen understanding of conflict risks and decisions.
• Skills demonstrations by the trainer provide positive modelling before attempts by staff.
• Discussions and Q&A encouraged throughout.

These engaging delivery methods aim to motivate staff and build lasting capabilities, not just communicate information. Staff will gain hands-on experience with core techniques to manage confrontations and feel confident applying them at work.

Learning Objectives
 

• Recognise early signs of escalating aggression via body language and verbal cues.
• Use de-escalation techniques like active listening, empathy, and positive communication.
• Assess threats to judge risks and determine appropriate responses.
• Apply verbal and non-verbal skills to diffuse tension and manage hostile passengers.
• Make sound judgements on when to involve security/police.
• Protect personal and passenger safety in volatile situations.
• Remove disruptive passengers safely when required.
• Use incident reporting to provide detailed accounts and identify risks.
• Build confidence in defusing confrontational situations and managing challenging passengers.
• Develop competence in mediating disputes and achieving constructive solutions.
• Enforce policies while maintaining control.
• Increase resilience and lower stress when dealing with aggressive behaviour.
• Foster a safer, more positive environment for staff and passengers.