Local football players front new community campaign promoting respect and good behaviour across the bus network
CDC NSW has partnered with the Northern Hawks Football Club to launch a new community campaign aimed at reducing antisocial behaviour on buses across the Hunter Valley and surrounding regions. The initiative features local Northern Hawks players appearing on CDC NSW buses, delivering a clear message to passengers: ride with respect, treat your fellow passengers and drivers with courtesy, and help keep our buses safe and welcoming for everyone.
The campaign forms part of CDC NSW’s broader strategy to stamp out antisocial behaviour and improve passenger and driver safety across its network. In late 2025, CDC NSW, in partnership with Transport for NSW (TfNSW), deployed a dedicated team of seven Authorised Officers across the Hunter Valley and Lake Macquarie regions to address antisocial behaviour, monitor fare compliance, and improve customer safety. The Northern Hawks campaign builds on this momentum, extending the focus to community-led engagement.
General Manager of Hunter Valley CDC NSW, Jodie Mallia, said: “We’re incredibly proud to partner with the Northern Hawks on this campaign. Antisocial behaviour on our buses affects everyone – our drivers, our passengers, and the broader community. Since deploying our dedicated compliance team late last year, we’ve already seen reduced reports of antisocial behaviour, and this campaign takes our efforts a step further.
“By bringing local football players on board, we’re sending a powerful message – particularly to younger passengers – that good behaviour matters. When you step onto a CDC NSW bus, you’re part of a community, and we all have a role to play in making that experience a positive one. Our drivers work hard every day to provide a reliable and friendly service, and they deserve to be treated with respect.”
As familiar faces in the Hunter Valley community, the Northern Hawks players are lending their profile and influence to encourage positive behaviour on public transport. The initiative uses on-bus signage and promotional materials featuring the players to engage passengers – particularly younger riders – and reinforce community standards around respect and responsibility.
President/Head Coach of the Northern Hawks Football Club, INSERT NAME said: “The Northern Hawks are all about teamwork, respect, and giving back to the community. We’re thrilled to join forces with CDC NSW on this campaign because it aligns perfectly with the values we instil in our players both on and off the field.
“The Northern Hawks are all about teamwork, respect, and giving back to the community. We’re thrilled to join forces with CDC NSW on this campaign because it aligns perfectly with the values we instil in our players both on and off the field.
“Our players are role models in this community, and if seeing them on a bus encourages even one person to think twice about their behaviour, then this campaign is a success. We’re proud to be part of the effort to keep public transport safe and respectful for everyone.”
Antisocial behaviour has been a growing concern across the public transport network in recent years. The Northern Hawks campaign complements a range of safety measures CDC NSW has introduced across its fleet, including CCTV systems, duress alarms, driver protection screens, and the deployment of Authorised Officers with the regulatory powers to intervene in incidents of verbal abuse, intimidation, and other disruptive conduct.
The campaign will be visible across CDC NSW bus routes in the Hunter Valley, with Northern Hawks players featured on in-bus promotional materials encouraging passengers to show respect, use good manners, follow driver instructions, and help create a safe environment for all travellers.
CDC NSW is committed to working with Transport for NSW, local sporting clubs, schools, and community organisations to promote positive behaviour and strengthen community connections across its network.
