The final report from the NSW government’s Bus Industry Taskforce has highlighted issues within the state’s bus system, saying the current system is “failing to deliver”.
Over the course of three prior reports, the task force had made 58 recommendations, flagging improvements to safety and increased training for drivers.
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This final report has 19 recommendations and focuses on four key areas – passenger experience, bus service contracts, the workforce, and safety.
Buses move more people than any other form of public transport in the state but remain “neglected, underfunded and largely misunderstood”, the report says.
Buses are also the most complained-about mode of public transport, incurring almost 70 per cent of all complaints.
In general, the report flagged that while buses were the most affordable mode of public transport, with cost per passenger one-third of a rail journey, the quality and reliability was “not meeting community needs and expectations”.
Highlighting work to eliminate “ghost buses” on planning apps, implementing a 10-year medium term bus plan, and continuing driver recruitment initiatives that has so far resulted in the vacancy rate dropping from more than 500 to 231 were also standouts.
“We know that buses are a vital form of public transport for many of our regional, rural and remote communities. Since coming to government we have rolled out more new services across the state including in some of the most remote areas for the first time,” regional transport and roads minister Jenny Aitchison says.
“The Taskforce provides a blueprint for future services to ensure that they are safe and meet the needs of everyone across our state.”
The report contains 8 safety recommendations, and proposes concrete measures to ensure that every bus on the road is safe and fit for purpose, while NSW bus drivers are better trained and more safety aware than ever.
It was critical of programs and processes like the Bus Operator Accreditation Scheme and Bus Driver Authority training, stating it has “not been maintained, let alone evolved, to an expected industry level”.
The report also proposed a more rigorous approach to evaluating a driver’s safety history during the hiring process, including the “importance of conducting thorough background checks”.
“This initiative would support bus operators to make informed hiring decisions based on a driver’s safety history to address concerns raised in submissions to the taskforce.”
Driver shortages and pay were among the findings, saying that NSW bus driver pay rates are among the lowest in the country despite earlier recommendations.
“There are currently not enough bus drivers to deliver existing service commitments across NSW or meet future programs. Changes already implemented in response to earlier Taskforce recommendations have helped to address shortages but are clearly insufficient to meet the need,” the report read.
“Bus drivers in Sydney are paid an average of $3 to $4 less per hour than drivers in other state capitals.”
Transport Minister Jo Haylen says the government has been steadily implementing recommendations since an early version of the report was released in February, with almost half already ticked off.
“When the Minns Labor Government launched the Bus Industry Taskforce more than a year ago, our bus services were in crisis,” Haylen says.
“We were more than 500 drivers short, services weren’t meeting passenger needs, and there was no plan for the future. When we came to government our bus services truly were the forgotten mode.
“This is a long term plan and program of work for government, but in just one year we’ve already made progress on the Taskforce’s recommendations. We’ve funded the medium term bus plan, delivered more bus services for passengers, recruited more drivers, improved passenger safety measures and rolled out new technology to help passengers and drivers.”
Bus Industry Taskforce chair John Lee welcomes the government’s involvement.
“The early signs are positive. Increased funding for services, recognition of the need to implement a medium-term bus plan and a focus within Transport for NSW to eliminate ghost buses, engage better with bus operators and to apply more resources to bus which is the largest mover of public transport patrons in NSW,” Lee says.
“The taskforce welcomes the Government’s commitment to implement the 69 recommendations and look forward to seeing the medium term bus plan come to life with bus rapid transit routes in the near future.”
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