** Tuesday 21 October: All Greater Darwin bus services are now operating as normal. **
** Monday 20 October 5:00pm update: All Greater Darwin affected urban bus services will resume on Tuesday, 21 October 2025 as advised **
17 October 2025
CDC Northern Territory has received formal notification from the Transport Workers Union (TWU) of protected industrial action to take place from 12:00am on Monday, 20 October 2025 for a 24-hour stoppage of work, other than school bus runs, by eligible TWU members.
As a result, all CDC Northern Territory urban bus services in the Greater Darwin area (including Palmerston and rural) will not operate on this date.
Dedicated school bus services, including special needs services, will continue to operate as normal.
Students who rely on urban services for travel to and from school will be unable to access these services. This includes students who use urban services to travel to an interchange in order to connect with dedicated school bus services.
Department of Logistics and Infrastructure staff, Transit Officers and Wilson Security Officers will be at the Casuarina and Palmerston bus interchanges to ensure commuters are aware of this impact.
The hospital shuttle bus will continue to run between the Royal Darwin Hospital and Palmerston Regional Hospital. The service can’t cater for electronic wheelchairs or mobility scooters. For more information, including the timetable, please go to https://nt.gov.au/wellbeing/hospitals-health-services/royal-darwin-hospital/shuttle-bus-service
All CDC NT urban and school bus services in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Jabiru and Batchelor are not impacted.
Any further service information will be available on the CDC NT Facebook page and this page.
Enterprise Agreement
CDC Northern Territory is continuing the Enterprise Agreement (EA) discussions in good faith with the Transport Workers Union (TWU) and our employees. We remain committed to reaching a fair and reasonable resolution.
Bus Safety
The Department of Logistics and Infrastructure is continuing to work with CDC to create a safer transport network for our hard-working bus drivers and passengers.
Measures from the Bus Safety Reform Strategy are being implemented to better protect bus drivers and passengers. The Bus Safety Reform Strategy aims to create a safer, more reliable, and respectful public transport system for bus drivers and passengers through a multi-faceted approach.
So far, free bus travel has been extended past 30 June 2025, the new, improved NT Bus Tracker app has been launched and driver safety screens have been installed in all buses in Darwin.
The safety reforms will continue this month with the closure of the Casuarina and Darwin bus interchanges on 27 October.
