The NSW Government has accepted or accepted in principle all 21 recommendations directed to Transport for NSW in the final investigation report into the fatal Greta bus crash.
The Office of Transport Safety Investigations report was tabled in NSW Parliament on 31 July 2026, more than three years after the crash claimed the lives of ten passengers and injured many others in the Hunter Valley.
The recommendations cover passenger protection, driver health and management, bus operator oversight, road design and the wider regulatory framework governing the NSW bus industry.
While some work has already begun, many of the proposed changes remain subject to consultation, policy development and legislation.
Investigation identifies multiple safety weaknesses
The crash occurred on 11 June 2023 when a coach carrying wedding guests rolled while travelling through a roundabout near Greta.
OTSI found that the bus entered the roundabout at excessive speed and that the driver’s performance was affected by tramadol use.
The investigation also identified broader weaknesses involving driver health monitoring, operator safety systems, passenger seatbelt use and the ability of the regulatory framework to identify and respond to safety risks.
Not all passengers were wearing the seatbelts fitted to the coach, increasing their exposure to fatal and serious injuries when the vehicle rolled and its windows broke.
Largest regulatory overhaul in two decades proposed
The NSW Government says it will consult the bus industry on what it describes as the most substantial reform of the state’s Bus Safety Regulatory Framework in approximately 20 years.
Proposed legislation is expected to establish clearer safety duties for:
- Bus operators
- Company officers
- Organisations procuring bus services
- Bus safety workers
- Drivers
The government also plans to develop a stronger compliance and enforcement system.
This is expected to include education and guidance for lower-level risks, alongside a tiered structure of offences and penalties for more serious breaches.
The exact duties, penalties and implementation dates have not yet been published and will depend on consultation and the passage of legislation.
New bus safety regulator under consideration
The reforms will continue work initiated by the NSW Bus Industry Taskforce, including consultation on the establishment of a dedicated bus safety regulator.
The proposed regulator would administer the new safety framework and oversee industry compliance.
The government has not yet confirmed the regulator’s final structure, statutory powers, funding or commencement date.
It is therefore more accurate to describe the body as proposed rather than established.
The reform process will also need to clarify how the new regulator would interact with Transport for NSW, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and existing workplace and road safety authorities.
Driver health and medication risks to be reviewed
A major focus of the OTSI recommendations is the management of bus driver health and fitness for duty.
Transport for NSW is expected to review driver health-assessment procedures and consider how medical practitioners, operators and regulators can better identify risks associated with prescription medication and other impairments.
The investigation raised concerns about whether existing systems adequately identified the driver’s tramadol use and its potential impact on safe driving.
Future reforms may involve stronger communication between drivers, doctors and operators, clearer reporting obligations and improved monitoring of medications that can affect concentration, alertness or reaction time.
However, detailed changes to medical standards and disclosure processes have not yet been finalised.
Stronger focus on passenger seatbelt use
The report also places renewed attention on the use of seatbelts on buses and coaches.
Although passengers are legally required to wear a seatbelt when one is available, the investigation found seatbelts were generally not being worn on the Greta coach.
Transport for NSW will examine further measures to improve compliance and public awareness.
The government has already introduced the Buckle Up on the Bus campaign, particularly targeting children and young people, and is continuing to install seatbelts in more rural, regional and outer-metropolitan buses.
Future action may include stronger passenger messaging, clearer driver and operator responsibilities and possible improvements to monitoring and enforcement.
Road and roundabout design also examined
The recommendations extend beyond vehicle operation and passenger behaviour.
Transport authorities will consider whether road-design standards and risk-assessment processes adequately address the behaviour of heavy vehicles at large roundabouts and similar locations.
The investigation considered the road environment at the Greta roundabout alongside the driver’s speed and operation of the coach.
Any resulting road-design changes are likely to require broader technical reviews rather than being limited to the crash location.
The government has not announced immediate reconstruction of the Greta roundabout as part of its initial response.
Bus Industry Taskforce reforms continue
The OTSI recommendations will be implemented alongside the separate NSW Bus Industry Taskforce reform program.
The Taskforce made 58 recommendations, including five safety recommendations developed directly in response to the Hunter Valley crash.
As of 31 July 2026, the government said 33 of the 58 recommendations had been implemented.
Completed or progressing measures include:
- Updated Safety Management System guidelines for accredited bus operators
- Changes to the Fit and Proper Person Policy applying to drivers and operators
- A technology initiative intended to improve safety outcomes
- An updated annual self-assessment reporting tool for operators
- Expanded seatbelt installation and passenger-awareness programs
Work on the remaining Taskforce recommendations is continuing through industry engagement, audits and education.
Acceptance does not mean implementation is complete
The government’s response distinguishes between recommendations that have been fully accepted and those accepted in principle.
An in-principle response generally means the government supports the recommendation’s objective but may still need to determine the most practical, lawful or affordable method of implementation.
Several major reforms—including the new regulatory framework, proposed regulator and revised statutory duties—will require further development.
Transport for NSW says work on some recommendations has already begun in cooperation with NSW Police, NSW Health, Australian Government agencies and industry representatives.
No consolidated deadline has been announced for implementing all 21 Transport for NSW recommendations.
Wider road safety investment
The reforms sit alongside the NSW Government’s $2.8 billion Towards Zero Safer Roads Program.
The program funds road safety upgrades intended to reduce deaths and serious injuries across metropolitan, regional and rural NSW.
The government says 62 per cent of its road safety funding in the 2026–27 financial year will be directed to regional areas.
That investment is broader than the Greta recommendations and should not be presented as funding exclusively allocated to bus safety reform.
Next phase will determine practical impact
The release of the OTSI report establishes a formal reform agenda, but its impact will depend on how the recommendations are translated into legislation, regulatory powers and operational practices.
Key issues still to be resolved include:
- The design and independence of the proposed regulator
- The specific safety duties imposed on operators and company officers
- Penalties for non-compliance
- Improvements to driver medical assessments
- The responsibilities of drivers and operators for seatbelt compliance
- The timetable for implementing each recommendation
The report marks a major step in the response to the Greta tragedy, but the reform process is not yet complete.
The central test will be whether the new framework identifies risks earlier, strengthens accountability and prevents similar failures from contributing to another fatal bus crash.
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