Auckland Transport (AT) is investigating after one of its buses was pictured driving on the wrong side of the road to skip traffic.
The picture posted on Facebook on Sunday shows the 998 bus heading towards Wellsford on the wrong side of the road on Twin Coast Discovery Highway in Warkworth.
AT told Newshub they will talk to the driver to determine the circumstances and reasons for the manoeuvre.
"AT and its operators take road safety very seriously. Our bus drivers are all highly skilled and we appreciate all the hard work they put in," AT said.
The back of the bus had a Ritchies bus company code on it but it's not clear if it was AT or Ritchies operating the bus.
Ritchies told Newshub they take road safety very seriously and are investigating the reason for the manoeuvre.
Road safety campaigner Geoff Upson said he had mixed feelings about drivers' actions.
"The bus shouldn't have driven up the wrong side of the road as it did but I think it's important we do acknowledge the frustration shared by the bus driver and other motorists who are continuously stuck on congested roads," Upson told Newshub.
"In saying that, I seriously doubt that bus even had any passengers, so I don't know what the rush was to drive an empty bus from Warkworth to Wellsford."
The photo sparked a mixed reaction on social media with some people defending the driver, others critical while the road layout also came under scrutiny.
"A professional driver should be displaying INCREASED competence on the roads than a public driver," one person said.
A second person said, "Good on him, all right to do so if it's safe to pull out".
Another person was critical of the road layout saying, "Who designed the intersection at Warkworth? It's always a nightmare trying to figure out which way should I go".
Another person said, "The island still remains such a problem as always, not surprised".
