[CT] Privatisation may be only bus solution

[Barry Drive]

From The Canberra Times online

BY NOEL TOWELL CHIEF ASSEMBLY REPORTER
17 Feb, 2011 01:00 AM

The sale of ACTION buses into private hands is inevitable if the carrier cannot modernise its work practises, according to the ACT Government's public service review.

Allan Hawke says ACTION's industrial relations position is an obstacle to Canberra having a bus system that commuters want to use and said that the government-owned network was less than half as efficient as its private-sector counterparts.

The Government declined to comment on Dr Hawke's recommendation yesterday and the Transport Workers Unions, representing the carriers' 600 bus drivers, said it had been living with the threat of privatisation for 70 years.

The Government remains locked in stalemate in its enterprise bargaining agreement with the ACTION drivers with both sides saying yesterday that there was no progress in sight.

But Dr Hawke, the author of a 345-page review that has recommended a radical shake-up of the ACT public service, says that ACTION will not succeed unless meaningful industrial reform can be achieved.

The review says without real changes, a sale or even a break-up of the network would make more sense than trying to improve the service within the present industrial landscape.

''The current industrial framework at ACTION is a significant obstacle to flexible and passenger centred management of the public transport system,'' Dr Hawker wrote.

''Deeply ingrained work practices including in relation to the ratio of full-time and part-time drivers, prohibition of a seven-day roster, and restrictions on workshop operations add significantly to ACTION's cost and inefficiency.''

ACTION drivers and their union have refused to consider any increase in the ratio of full-time to part-time drivers and are demanding to be paid weekend rates to work a five-day roster if any of the work days fall on a weekend.

Dr Hawke's report notes that ACTION's private counterparts are more than twice as efficient than ACTION in staffing their operations.

''Deane's Buslines, the privately owned Queanbeyan based operator, employs 1.4 people per bus, while ACTION currently has over four people per bus.''

[belcodriver]

From The Canberra Times online
''Deane's Buslines, the privately owned Queanbeyan based operator, employs 1.4 people per bus, while ACTION currently has over four people per bus.''

Just looked at the Fleet summary on the wiki and if I've added up correctly ACTION has 433 buses not counting SNT. There's no way 1700 people work for ACTION, I think it's around 900. What a surprise, the Canberra Times is lying about us again.

[Barry Drive]

Excellent point - especially when you consider that most of the 'head office' staff now work for Transport Planning rather than ACTION.

Since ACTION no longer produces its own Annual Report, I went to the 2010 TAMS Annual Report. It shows, at 30 June 2010, there were 642 "bus operators" (head count, not FTE) which includes casuals (as far as I can tell). Unsure as to where workshop and transport officers are counted. In any event, there is no way that ACTION could have anything close to 1700 staff.

By the way Canberra Times, that's how you do independent fact checking - something lacking from most so-called journalism these days.

[Buzz Killington]

Just looked at the Fleet summary on the wiki and if I've added up correctly ACTION has 433 buses not counting SNT.

Plus another 30 which are withdrawn or not yet in service.

[Barry Drive]

The full ACTPS Review Report can be found here http://www.actpsreview.act.gov.au/home. The claim about over four ACTION employees per bus can be found on page 315 (Chapter 7). There is no footnote or reference about where this 'fact' came from.

I was amused to discover that part of the report has lifted text from Wikipedia (with very minor changes), but failed to list Wikipedia in the Bibliography.

Timetabling, page 313 -

Red Rapid Route 200 is a limited stop service between Gungahlin Town Centre, Northbourne
Avenue, City Bus Station, Russell, Barton, the Canberra Railway Station and Fyshwick. It
operates every 15 minutes between 7am and 7pm weekdays. The service commenced on 16
November 2009 under the name Redex (Rapid Express Direct) as a trial service between
Gungahlin and the Railway Station. The service has recently been extended to the Direct
Factory Outlets centre in Fyshwick. All Red Rapid services are operated by wheelchair
accessible buses fitted with bicycle racks.

The Blue Rapid services provide a high-frequency (departures every 5-8 minutes between
7am and 7pm on weekdays) link between the City and the bus stations at Belconnen, Woden
and Tuggeranong Town Centres. The Blue Rapid services consist of the 300 series routes on
weekdays and route 900 on weekends and public holidays.

During daytime, Blue Rapid routes commence from suburbs in Belconnen or Tuggeranong
then travel through all bus stations along the trunk (or common) route and terminate at the
last station. At night the Blue Rapid service consists of Route 300 which travels only between
bus stations, but does not extend to the suburbs. All Blue Rapid services are operated by
wheelchair accessible buses and most by buses fitted with bicycle racks.

And from Wikipedia -

Blue Rapid
The Blue Rapid services provide a high-frequency link between the City and the bus stations at Belconnen, Woden and Tuggeranong Town Centres. The Blue Rapid services consist of the 300 series routes on weekdays and route 900 on weekends and public holidays.

During weekday daytime, Blue Rapid routes commence from suburbs in Belconnen or Tuggeranong then travel through all bus stations along the trunk (or common) route and terminate at the last station (and vice-versa). At night the Blue Rapid service consists of Route 300 which travels only between bus stations, but does not extend to the suburbs.

On weekends and public holidays, Route 900 travels between all stations as well as the Erindale Centre. Some Route 900 services on Saturday service only Woden, City and Belconnen.

All Blue Rapid services are operated by wheelchair accessible buses and most by buses fitted with bicycle racks.

Red Rapid
Red Rapid Route 200 is a limited stop service between Gungahlin Town Centre, Northbourne Avenue, City Bus Station, Russell, Barton, the Canberra Railway Station and Fyshwick. It operates every 15 minutes between 7am and 7pm weekdays.

The service commenced on 16 November 2009 under the name Redex (Rapid Express Direct) as a trial service between Gungahlin and the Railway Station. On 15 November 2010, the service was renamed Red Rapid, renumbered as route 200 and extended to the Direct Factory Outlets centre in Fyshwick.

All Red Rapid services are operated by wheelchair accessible buses fitted with bicycle racks.

[Buzz Killington]

Nice pick-up there. Good to see they conducted their research on some reliable websites..

[belcodriver]

Excellent point - especially when you consider that most of the 'head office' staff now work for Transport Planning rather than ACTION.

Since ACTION no longer produces its own Annual Report, I went to the 2010 TAMS Annual Report. It shows, at 30 June 2010, there were 642 "bus operators" (head count, not FTE) which includes casuals (as far as I can tell). Unsure as to where workshop and transport officers are counted. In any event, there is no way that ACTION could have anything close to 1700 staff.

By the way Canberra Times, that's how you do independent fact checking - something lacking from most so-called journalism these days.

For TOs there are 5 positions in each interchange, four in each depot, four in the radio room and four T04s for a total of 36. However at least two northside TO positions have been vacant for months.

[Bidgee]

The claim about over four ACTION employees per bus can be found on page 315 (Chapter 7). There is no footnote or reference about where this 'fact' came from.

I was amused to discover that part of the report has lifted text from Wikipedia (with very minor changes), but failed to list Wikipedia in the Bibliography.

Most reports are always lifted from somewhere but they never check the facts nor even state where they found this claim.

Not the first time a Government report has had text lifted from another site nor will it be the last time.

''Deane's Buslines, the privately owned Queanbeyan based operator, employs 1.4 people per bus, while ACTION currently has over four people per bus.''[/color]

What a stupid report title and subtitle, could have had a better title and subtitle however when did the ACT become a state?

I find it rather funny of them to compare Apples (ACTION) and Tomatoes (Deane's Buslines). I'm sure ACTION wished they had four people per bus, they wouldn't have to worry about being short on drivers!

[Buzz Killington]

I find it rather funny of them to compare Apples (ACTION) and Tomatoes (Deane's Buslines).

Tomatoes are technically a fruit, but I take your point.

[Bidgee]

Well that was my point, fruit = bus operator but that is where it ends.