FOUR bus drivers were disciplined every week last year.
Since 2011, a total of 1,312 disciplinary measures have been taken against Ulsterbus and Metro drivers and four drivers were sacked.
Fifty-three drivers have received final written warnings for breaches of company rules, with 12 more getting final warnings about sickness absences.
The Department of Regional Development said other than for sickness absence, disciplinary action is taken for health and safety breaches, attendance/timekeeping, working instructions/operational issues, and driving and behaviour.
Sickness absence has not led to any sackings in the last five years.
SDLP regional development spokesman John Dallat, who obtained the information from minister Michelle McIlveen, said he was concerned at how many of the disciplinary measures related to "sickness issues".
"Absenteeism has been a problem in the public sector in the past with the causes not fully understood," he said.
"We need to know why so many drivers have been off work for periods of time that have merited disciplinary measures. Are the causes related to health issues which come with the job or are they related to low morale or a lack of motivation to come to work?
"It is my impression that the vast majority of drivers are good people doing a difficult job very often in stressful conditions which can relate to traffic or indeed sometimes passengers who lack a full appreciation of the job they do.
"It is important to better understand why there appears to be an issue so that we can recommend any further affirmative action that can be taken to ensure that absenteeism is kept to an absolute minimum."
Mr Dallat warned that until the company takes its absenteeism problem in hand, it will be unable to make the essential investment the transport system needs.
"The pressure on Translink's financial budget has never been greater and the fear of services being cut is very real," he said.
"For this reason alone absenteeism must not be an issue which is adding unnecessary cost to running a public transport service which so many people depend on."
