Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus.) a tram conductor.

1910		Truth (Sydney) 18 Mar. 1/6: Troubs at times have a lot to put up with. On Thursday, on a Paddington tram, a fat duchess berated a conductor [AND].
1912		Truth (Sydney) 29 Dec. 5/6: Unlike our precious ‘Pomegranates’, the Melbourne troubs do not consider it a huge joke to toss an old gent off a car by starting too soon, or to leave an aged woman standing in the street [AND].
1943		Baker Popular Dict. Aus. Sl. (2nd edn).
1967		Kings Cross Whisper (Sydney) Ixi 4/4: Troub, a bus conductor, or conductress. From the two words tram and bus.