Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 341 i Australasian Bus & Coach

Watching the New Year’s freworks off the Church Street Bridge – I’m offcially a Melburnian now, they reckon – I’m proud to say I resisted telling my closest 478 Facebook friends of my resolutions for the year ahead. Now, I’m not going to call this a resolution either, but I did make a lifestyle choice that coincided with New Year – well, Christmas would probably be more accurate. It came about because this year Mr Claus brought me a bicycle. Cyclists tend to get a bit of a hard time from basically anybody who isn’t a cyclist, but after about six months of umming and ahhing over whether to get one, the decision was ultimately decided for me. So say hello to the newest cycling advocate. I’m lucky – I…

The Queensland Bus Industry Council (QBIC) had reason to celebrate at this year’s annual Christmas function after reaching an agreement with the state government regarding contract negotiations. The annual QBIC Raceday Christmas Party was held at Doomben Racecourse on December 5, acknowledging operators and suppliers for their work in Queensland throughout the year. QBIC executive director David Tape says there was extra cause for celebration with confirmation from government that operators will be returning to a negotiated contract model rather than open market tender. Minister for transport Jackie Trad addressed concerns at the Annual QBIC Conference in April 2015, when the Labor Party first came into power. According to Tape, the decision is a positive step forward and provides operators with contract certainty for the foreseeable future.…

Public Transport Victoria (PTV) has announced its fare adjustments for 2016, with an average increase of 3.2 per cent. Most fares will rise 1.5 per cent – in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) – plus the 2.5 per cent noted in December’s budget update. The adjustment will keep prices in line with CPI and contribute to ongoing investment towards major public transport projects in the state, including the removal of 50 level crossings, the Melbourne Metro Rail Project, and new trains and trams. PTV will also introduce a number of regional fare alterations, including V/Line off-peak weekend concession fares. The weekend and public holiday myki cap remains at $6.00 for all-day travel in Zone 1+2, with the new fares coming into effect from January 1, 2016.…

People with disabilities will have better access to public transport in Tasmania after the state government announced the introduction of 11 new specially designed buses. The refurbished vehicles, all fitted with disability access and seating, are entering service with Metro Tasmania to make public transport more accessible. Purchased from Australia Pacific Airports in Melbourne, the buses will be refurbished in Tasmania to replace older vehicles in service, decreasing the overall average age of the current Metro fleet. When the $2.4 million project is completed, nine of the 15 buses in the total fleet will be based at the Burnie depot, with the other two to operate on non-urban routes in the Hobart area.…

The past year has been a productive one for the national Australian bus industry association too. Bus Industry Confederation (BIC) executive director Michael Apps says that the change in prime minister from Tony Abbott to Malcolm Turnbull was a key moment and opened the door for better cooperation on public transport projects between the states and the federal government. BIC has also spent a lot of time working with the various state associations. “Whilst Canberra is an ongoing focus for the BIC, the reality is, the BIC is also spending a lot of time working with state associations to address issues that affect all operators and suppliers in what has become a much more national legislative framework in which bus business operates today,” he says. Much of this work takes…

Like a fne drop of wine, some things just keep getting better over time. And while the bus industry can surely appreciate a fne wine or two, there have been occasions throughout the year when it was important to just get down to business. It was an interesting time for the Australian industry in 2015, starting with a joint agreement between Bustech and a Malaysian-based consortium to commence the manufacture of electric buses on the Gold Coast. Metro Tasmania also celebrated 60 years of operation, while the Bus & Coach Association South Australia (BusSA) held their frst conference in three years, with plans for future events now in place. The Bus Association of Victoria (BusVic) 2015 Maintenance Conference and Bus Expo involved the launch of the frst ever conference app…

PLUSES • Award-winning driveability • Excellent space and seating • Impressive safety with further options MINUSES • Behind some competitors on torque • Steering a little loose • Lacks electronic stability control as standard When running coaches in outback Australia, you need uncompromised reliability. Therefore, you would expect the pairing of a body manufacturer which has been in business for 125 years, and a chassis brand with four decades experience, should ft the bill. That collective expertise was presumably a key factor behind the purchase of this aerodynamic coach by Alice Springs operator On Tour NT. So too would have been Iveco’s extensive dealership network around Australia, including Alice Springs, and Irizar’s pledge that technicians and parts are only a fight away from its brand new headquarters in Melbourne. Considering…

Michael Apps BIC National Secretariat PO Box 6171, Kingston ACT 2604 P: 02 6247 5990 F: 02 6273 1035 E: admin@bic.asn.au I thought you might be interested in a few of the things that are definitely on the agenda for the BIC in 2016. Many of these issues are managed through government and/or industry committees, or directly by the BIC team in the secretariat, and are usually done behind the scenes. These tasks, activities, projects and publications undertaken for industry are time consuming and are as equally important as the ‘glamorous’ aspect of the BIC’s role – walking the halls of Parliament House. So, here is a summary of key issues and projects that will impact you and support your business over the next 12 months. ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORT STANDARDS The…

Things are moving along nicely on the other side of the ditch too, according to Bus and Coach Association New Zealand (BCA) managing director Barry Kidd, who has made inroads into having axle weight laws amended, among other matters. “We’ve undergone a complete review of New Zealand’s regulation on axle weights and vehicle dimensions,” he says. “The current axle weight limits are particularly concerning to the industry, as they are on average 30 per cent lower than they are other developed jurisdictions, such as Australia and the United Kingdom. “New Zealand has reached a point where it is difficult for medium and large-sized buses to fit within the axle weight limits, even when carrying their legal capacity.” In addition to speaking with members to understand the industry perspective, the BCA…

Creating and running your own small business is a dream for many. Once established, there’s nothing else like seeing all your efforts develop into solid material gains that help you to build further on your dream and vision, in the noble quest to make it a reality. It’s amazing what you can achieve when you pour your heart and soul into a business venture of your own. All the glory is yours if you succeed though if you happen to fail … well, you’ll shoulder all the blame too. This make-or-break scenario brings a rare kind of satisfaction that cannot be easily understood or appreciated unless you have built something like this from the ground up for yourself. That drive to realise a vision is what epitomises Shoalhaven Shuttle Tours…

Nikki Brouwers The interact Group founder and managing director P: 02 9460 2444 F: 029957 1000 E: NIKKI@interactgroup.com.au I recently had the pleasure of attending the Bus Industry Confederation (BIC) National Conference in Singapore, where I was able to meet with many other members and lead a discussion around the health benefts of employment along with ways to improve productivity throughout the bus industry. During my session, we held an active conversation regarding the changing face of your ‘typical’ worker. The audience were keen to mention that not only are their workers ageing – which may impact their individual productivity – but that the complexity of life roles has also changed. Gone are the days of just ‘turning up for work’ – the modern worker has a range of commitments…

Transport for NSW has been recognised as a leading passenger transport provider at the annual Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Australia (CILTA) awards. The 2015 Annual Awards for Excellence was held on November 7 in Brisbane at Doomben Race Course. Transport for NSW was named winner of the Excellence in Moving People category for its development of the South West Rail Link. The basis of the award involved responding to issues of reliability and passenger growth on the metropolitan rail network and increased population in southwest Sydney, helping provide people with access to employment and amenities in the area. The extension includes a major upgrade of Glenfield Station and bus/ rail interchange and a new twin track passenger rail line from Glenfield to Leppington via Edmondson Park, and was…

A Queensland operation targeting drink driving at schools has come to an end with a total of 51 people arrested – including a bus driver. As a result of the blitz, a 53-year-old man was found to be over the limit while dropping children off at school, alarming police. Operation Collude focused on drivers during the morning and afternoon drop-off and pick-up period since June 2015. Out of the total number of arrests, 10 people were found to be driving under the influence, accounting for one fifth of all offences. Officers conducted a total of 5486 breath tests and issued 259 infringement notices, of which 145 were for speeding, throughout this period. A range of other offences recorded during the operation included unlicensed driving, drug possession, public nuisance, and warrant…

The Victorian government will conduct a review into the state’s ticketing enforcement regime to ensure it is viable and fair. It coincides with the public transport ombudsman’s recent annual report, which raised questions about the government’s fare enforcement regime. Meanwhile, current regulations covering many public transport offences are also due to expire in just over six months. Minister for public transport Jacinta Allan says now is the time to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of current policies and procedures. The review will look at how agencies and operators carry out compliance and enforcement activities, ways to improve ticketing fines and regulations, and how penalty fares interact with ticketing fines. Led by the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, the review commenced in December 2015 and will consult a range…

It’s been an eventful 2015 for the state bus associations and many have an even more eventful year ahead. Several have amped up their efforts to engage with their members in new and innovative ways, and help bus and coach operators understand and deal with new compliance issues as they arise. Many are gearing up for contract renegotiations, and route bus operators will not be satisfed unless they are dealt with in a fair and open manner by their respective departments of transport which ultimately call the shots. Assurances have been given by transport ministers in a number of states, that all plans to rationalise contracts will be made in consultation with industry advocates, but when two contracts are retendered as one there are inevitably going to be winners and…

Graeme McDonald A member of the Money Resources Group P: 03 8699 5000 F: 03 9690 9484 M: 0401 189 160 E: graeme@ moneyresources.com.au Well, here’s wishing a happy new year to you all. It’s amazing to think how quickly time fies. I was recently required to fll in the year I left school on a form and seeing it written down I suddenly felt rather old. I’ve been employed in the fnance industry in one form or another for some 34 years now. If you asked me back then to predict the future, I would have said Melbourne to win the fag in the AFL – or VFL as it was back in the day – and then, probably, that interest rates couldn’t go much higher. I was…