“I always get off at the front because I like to thank the driver,” she said.
Isabel said she stepped off the bus with her right foot first, but as she moved her left leg towards the pavement, the driver closed the doors.
“It happened so quickly,” she said.
“The door pushed my leg, and I lost my balance and spun out of the bus in a semi-circle and fell heavily on my right hip into the gutter.”
Isabel said she was helped by two passengers and Auckland Transport (AT) staff who were on board the bus.
An ambulance was called and she was taken to Middlemore Hospital, where she spent seven days recovering.
“It’s had a huge impact. I was quite fit and strong before this happened, and now I do have pain and stiffness.”
Isabel required specialist treatment and has undergone physio for lower-back issues.
“I’ll go on the train but I won’t go back on the bus,” she said.
AT group manager for public transport operations Rachel Cara said a full investigation by the operator found the doors were closed prematurely while Isabel was still exiting the bus.
Cara said the driver and transport officers immediately assisted Isabel after the fall, while customer service staff later contacted her, asked about her recovery and supported the investigation.
“The protocol for drivers is to wait until the passengers are fully disembarked before closing doors,” Cara said.
“The bus operator apologised to the passenger, reaching out to check on her welfare.”
Following the incident, the operator issued a reminder notice to all drivers and updated training materials.
Isabel said she felt AT’s response did not adequately reflect the seriousness of her injuries.
She said despite receiving an apology note from the bus driver, she was disappointed to later be offered a $20 Hop card top-up when she asked whether compensation was available.