This week’s Bus Industry Confederation (BIC) national conference has heard industry members discuss the biggest issues facing the sector
Brisbane’s Sofitel Hotel is bus central this week as the Bus Industry Confederation (BIC) brings together more than 400 delegates for its annual three-day conference exploring the challenges and future direction of bus transport in Australia and beyond.
The event kicked off with a round of Annual General Meetings on Sunday for transport industry groups BIC and the Australian Public Transport Industrial Association, before rolling into a busy schedule of seminars highlighting new products and industry issues such as driver shortages and the lack of infrastructure to support the move to a zero emissions future.
Speaking at the end of day one’s proceedings, BIC chairman Tony Hopkins said the quote of the day came from a panellist who reminded the crowd what it is bus operators do and why it’s so important to get it right: “We transport people, not chickens”.
Hopkins says it’s been heartening to see such a strong turn-out for the national conference after a hiatus forced by COVID.
RELATED ARTICLE: ABC Issue 422 – Out Now!
 |
|
BIC’s Tony Hopkins presenting
|
He says a pleasing aspect of this year’s conference is the diversity of attendees and sponsors, ranging from manufacturers to suppliers of the technology behind the buses, both on the road and back in the office where scheduling and planning is key to success.
Driver retention, recruitment and welfare has been a particular focus, and there was also some in depth conversation late on Monday into the possible outcomes changes to industrial relations laws being proposed by the new federal government may have on operators in terms of their ability to negotiate their own enterprise agreements versus being pulled into a collective agreement.
Guests heard from leaders from a range of operators on the comeback from COVID who reported patronage levels of 70 to 85 per cent of pre-COVID numbers.
Conference attendees have enjoyed some fun social events, including a night out at the Tivoli in Fortitude Valley on Monday night.