Bus Driver of the Year Award Winner
Transit Systems NSW bus driver Tom Lee has been named winner of the 2026 BusNSW Bus & Coach Driver of the Year Award, recognising more than a decade of outstanding service, safety and customer care at the company's Smithfield Depot.
Announced today at the BusNSW Awards, which celebrate the drivers who represent the vital link between bus and coach operators and the travelling public across New South Wales.
Tom has worked for Transit Systems NSW since 2013, building a reputation across the Smithfield depot and among customers as one of the network's most reliable and respected drivers. With more than 13 years behind the wheel his impeccable safety record reflects sustained discipline, focus and professionalism on every shift.
“I just try to do my job properly and look after the people on my bus. It means a lot that customers notice, and it means even more to win this award,” said Tom Lee.
His driving performance is consistently rated among the best at Smithfield Depot on the GreenRoad safety platform, which measures real-time driving behaviour including braking, acceleration, cornering and speed management.
“Tom represents everything we look for in a Transit Systems NSW driver. He's safe, skilled, dependable, and genuinely connected to the community he serves. Customers ask for him by name, and that tells you everything about the trust he's built over 13 years on the road. This award is thoroughly deserved, and we're incredibly proud to see him recognised,” said Rino Matarazzo, Managing Director, Transit Systems NSW.
Beyond the data, Tom has built a genuine following among the customers he serves. Regulars are known to contact Transit Systems NSW directly to find out when Tom is rostered on, so they can plan their trip to travel on his service. He has also received multiple formal commendations from customers and is widely respected by his colleagues for the positive, collaborative culture he helps foster at the depot.
The award comes at an important time for Transit Systems NSW who this week launched three new permanent bus routes connecting Western Sydney communities to the new Western Sydney International. Tom's recognition reflects the calibre of driver behind that growth, with Transit Systems NSW now operating more than 1,200 buses across 11 depots and employing around 2,700 people across Sydney's Regions 2, 3 and 6.
Established in 2006, the BusNSW Bus & Coach Driver of the Year Awards recognise individuals for their outstanding contribution to the NSW bus and coach industry, across metropolitan, outer-metropolitan, regional and coach categories.