Article: $1000 on taxi for 500km trip to clean train

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

$1000 on taxi for 500km trip to clean train

$1000 on taxi for 500km trip to clean train
Article from: The Sunday Mail (Qld)

By Darrell Giles

April 19, 2009 12:00am

A QUEENSLAND Rail cleaning crew caught a taxi from Brisbane to Gympie and back - costing almost $1000 - to clean carriages needed for services after the Easter cancellation of the Tilt Train service.

Six QR staff were called in on Good Friday to prepare a replacement train.

A lucky Brisbane cab driver drove them 250km to Gympie, waited four hours, then drove them home to pocket the fare, reported by other taxi drivers to have been $876 plus a meal.

A furious Transport Minister Rachel Nolan said she was "appalled" by the "complete waste of money" uncovered by The Sunday Mail and said she had vented her outrage to QR chief executive Lance Hockridge last week.

The incident happened after QR surprisingly cancelled the Cairns Tilt Train service on Good Friday over safety concerns, leaving almost 300 passengers stranded in Brisbane. The Tilt Train will be out of service until at least April 27.

Mr Hockridge defended the taxi expenditure, saying QR staff had worked under tight deadlines to put in place alternative arrangements for passengers following the cancellation of the service.

"Six QR staff, who were rostered off for the Easter holidays, were called in to urgently clean the Spirit of the Outback (train) so it could be used as an alternative service later that evening," he said.

"As it was a public holiday, it was very difficult to secure vehicles without notice to urgently transport staff from Brisbane to Gympie, where the train was stored.

"It is obviously QR's preference for staff to travel by train, however services to Gympie were suspended over the Easter weekend due to major infrastructure works.

"As a result, some of the staff travelled to Gympie in a QR vehicle while others travelled in a taxi. Although there were exceptional circumstances ... it was not appropriate and I have put in place a process to address this issue."

But Ms Nolan said: "This is a complete waste of money and I am appalled.

"I have spoken directly to (Mr Hockridge) and expressed my serious concern. He has assured me that steps are already being taken to ensure it doesn't happen again."

QR declined to say how many government vehicles it had in the fleet or why alternative arrangements, such as hiring a car, were not made.

QR staff regularly use taxis to get to and from work - at taxpayer expense.

The Sunday Mail has previously reported that some QR train drivers take taxi rides of up to 300km, costing more than $500, to get home after they finish a distant shift.

[ozbob]

It is easy to criticise QR over the taxi fare but stand back for a minute.

Time involved would have around 8-10 hours for the driver.  It was Good Friday so an hourly rate for a driver and vehicle is actually quite reasonable.  Additionally there was very extenuating circumstances that demanded a very quick response to enable the carriages to be used instead of the  Diesel Tilt train.  The railway line was closed between Petrie and Gympie North as well due to the commissioning of the Caboolture to Beerburrum Duplication and other works.

QR Passenger should be congratulated for putting their passengers first.