Early on a Thursday morning, an ACTION bus driver laughs and closes his doors when he's asked what he thinks of ACT's light rail.
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"It doesn't matter what we think, it's going to happen!"
ACTION buses said more routes could be added when light rail starts to run in 2019, and the Transport Workers Union is very much in favour of the proposal.
But Canberra's bus drivers aren't as sure, saying they won't be in any rush to jump ship to the new tram system when it arrives.
ACT Public Transport director James Roncon said although it was still early days he didn't believe there would be a reduction in bus services once light rail started running - in fact, he said they might increase.
"You may actually see the need for an increase simply ... in order to be able to service that line properly," he said
"Currently we might be running services every 20 minutes in the 'burbs, there might be a discussion by the government to reduce that down to 10 minutes."
Mr Roncon said ACTION might run on an 'traditional hub and spokes' system, where buses carried passengers from the suburbs into the large light rail stations.
"We've been hard at it now for the best part of 12 months [looking at] how we can better integrate, better phase our services out and phase them in and what a network might look like," he said.
Transport Workers Union ACT secretary Klaus Pinkus said Canberra was crying out for large infrastructure projects and the government should be congratulated for building light rail.
"It's a project that has got a long-term future and a lot of work involved in the construction, not just between Gungahlin and the city but when they extend it will be more jobs," he said.
Mr Pinkus said once a consortium had been chosen by the ACT government, the union would be in contact with them to discuss staffing the light rail.
Some ACTION drivers aren't convinced though - one said the light rail would be a burden to the city until Canberra's population increased. "Where it will run you could be done by two extra buses," he said. "I'll be retired by the time it gets here."
Another driver said they'd been asked by a family member if they'd consider signing up for the new tram network. "I'm pretty happy where I am at the moment, though," he said.
When asked if he'd consider changing to the light rail, one bus driver yells through his closed doors: "I've got the best job in the world, mate!"
