Transdev Melbourne: A BETTER WAY WITH BUSES IN MELBOURNE

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http://t.co/ifbYbsRZWG

MEDIA RELEASE 26 APRIL 2013

A BETTER WAY WITH BUSES IN MELBOURNE

Transdev Melbourne has been announced as preferred tenderer for the Melbourne Metropolitan Bus Franchise by Public Transport Victoria (PTV), on behalf of the Victorian Government. The franchise covers about 30% of the Melbourne bus market and is for a period of seven years, and may be extended for a further three years subject to meeting performance targets. The franchise will integrate over 1,000 staff, 50 routes and 500 vehicles in the east and west of Melbourne and the SmartBus orbitals.

'This outcome is the result of a tremendous amount of hard work by our team to produce a compelling and exciting bid that will deliver a better way with buses for both bus users and Victorian taxpayers,' said Mr Edward Thomas, the CEO of Transdev Melbourne, the Melbourne Bus franchisee. Mr Thomas, who will lead a dedicated management team, has more than 12 years experience in public transport, most recently overseeing Transdev's 1,200-strong bus operations across Australia.

'Our vision is to become the transport mode of choice for Melbourne's travelling public by creating a world-class bus network that is easily identifiable, intuitively meets the needs of customers, and achieves operational and financial benefits for the community. Our vision is consistent with PTV's: we will deliver safe, integrated, accessible and reliable services. Customer needs will be our ultimate priority.
'Transdev proposes to deliver the following benefits to customers in the first two years of the franchise:

• Additional services across the network, including the addition of Sunday services on some routes;
• A simplified network, particularly through the CBD;
• A reduction in route duplication; and
• Increased hours of operation on both weekdays and weekends.

'These improvements are a foretaste of the future as we work to develop a completely new (Green Fields) timetable for 2015. Reliability will also improve as we introduce an operations control centre to assist drivers and improve information for customers, particularly during disruptions. We will re-locate depots to enable the integrated network and to meet today's needs but also cater for the future growth of Melbourne.

'We will also introduce sweeping innovations based on our customer research, including: training drivers in a proven customer care methodology; recruiting staff with customer-centric attitudes; improving customer information pre and post journey; and launching the Transdev Customer Charter. We will also improve the options for feedback by using our Listen technology and the Meet our Managers program and enhancing the design, space, comfort and security of travel, including refurbishing older buses.
'Over the franchise life, we will grow patronage and customer satisfaction and build customer and community trust in, and awareness of, our buses,' said Mr Thomas.

This win is the latest in a series of great results in the past few years for Transdev including: tender wins in Joondalup (WA), Caval Ridge (Qld), Sydney (Harbour City Ferries, with Transfield Services), Darwin (NT, with Buslink); the retention of contracts in Auckland (NZ), Rockingham (WA), Fremantle (WA), Sydney (NSW); and the successful merger of the previous Veolia Transport and Transdev businesses.

Editor's note: Transdev is the new name for the Veolia Transdev group, which was created by the 2011 merger of Veolia
Transport and Transdev. Transdev's shareholders are Caisse des Depots et Consignations and Veolia Environnement

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http://ptv.vic.gov.au/about-ptv/media-centre/media-releases/preferred-tenderer-announced-for-the-melbourne-metropolitan-bus-franchise/

Preferred tenderer announced for the Melbourne Metropolitan Bus Franchise

26 April 2013

Public Transport Victoria has today announced Transdev Melbourne Pty Ltd as the preferred tenderer to operate the Melbourne Metropolitan Bus Franchise.

The franchise provides for the operation of approximately 30 per cent of Melbourne's public bus network, currently operated by Ventura and Melbourne Bus Link, and is the first time such a significant portion of the bus network has been publicly tendered.

Transdev Australasia Pty Ltd, part of Transdev Group, is one of the largest transport operators in the world. Transdev Group operates over 40,000 buses throughout 27 countries. It already has a major presence in Australia with over 1200 buses currently in operation in Perth, Sydney and Brisbane. Transdev Australasia also operates light rail and monorail services in Sydney and is the operator of ferry services in Sydney and Brisbane.

Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder said the Coalition Government had established PTV to improve services for passengers.

"Buses are an important part of our public transport network and we want to see services continue to improve," Mr Mulder said.

"PTV was set up to improve the public transport services, coordination and this tender process is an important part of our plan to improve public transport, and will secure better bus services for Melburnians," Mr Mulder said.

Public Transport Victoria Chair and CEO Ian Dobbs said that Transdev Melbourne's bid represented the best value for Victorian taxpayers and focused on customer service, creating a more reliable network and growing bus patronage.

"We have selected the operator that will best partner with PTV to deliver better bus services for a growing city," Mr Dobbs said.

"Most importantly, Transdev Melbourne made it clear that its priority is to deliver the highest quality bus services by continuously improving punctuality and reliability, safety, customer service and information."

Mr Dobbs said that, in a first for bus contracts in Victoria, a performance regime will be used as an incentive for reaching key performance targets, including carrying more passengers.

Key features of the contract include:
        Monitoring of timetabled services using a GPS tracking system, with penalties for late or cancelled services.
        Financial bonuses and penalties tied to growth in passenger numbers.
        A contractual commitment to improving customer satisfaction to 80% by end of 2016 through improved customer service training and a focus on service delivery.
        Improved provision of customer information on-board and at bus stops, with a particular focus on informing passengers during service disruptions.
        A partner who will plan new and reallocated services according to passenger needs.
        A requirement for the operator to conduct a comprehensive review of all services included in the franchise to identify opportunities for improvement and implement a "Green Fields" timetable change by the end of April 2015.

"Melbourne's bus services are a vital part of our public transport network, with more than 118 million passenger trips last year," Mr Dobbs said.

"With new performance targets in place, and the expertise, mandate and a deadline to deliver real service improvements, we believe this is the beginning of a generational transformation of the bus network."

Mr Dobbs said Transdev Melbourne would operate the franchise for seven years, with an option to extend its term for a further three years. The contract is expected to be executed in coming days with Transdev Melbourne to begin operating the bus franchise on 1 August 2013.

Transdev Melbourne will be required to make offers of employment to existing franchise staff, including drivers.

Mr Dobbs thanked the incumbent operators, National Bus Company (Victoria), Melbourne Bus Link and Ventura Motors, and said PTV was confident they would meet their current contractual obligations during the transition to the new franchise.

"I would like to acknowledge the hard work, commitment and professionalism of the incumbent operators over the many years in which they have operated buses within the franchise area and during which time the bus network has seen massive growth in passenger numbers."

The worldwide public tender process began in 2012 and has been overseen by an independent probity auditor who has confirmed that the tender process has complied with probity principles.

-ends-

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