Tauranga bus drivers are considering escalating their industrial action after a man jumped aboard a bus with a machete

A man was arrested in Fraser street after boarding in the city's CBD.

It's just the latest in a series of antisocial behaviour towards the city's drivers including assault, damage and racial abuse.

Those incidents led to drivers boycotting key stops with particularly high rates of violence.

The First Union says it's considering stopping bus trips after 8pm as that's when security clocks off.

However NZ Bus says it wouldn't support a move like that because it could leave people stranded.