23 Apr 2008: Call for dedicated Minister for Transport and apology ...

[ozbob]

Media Release 23 April 2008

Queensland:  Call for dedicated Minister for Transport and apology to Brisbane?s Bus Drivers

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has again called for a dedicated Minister for Transport in Queensland and an apology to Brisbane?s  Bus Drivers for the feeble excuses rolled out in a futile attempt to explain the time meltdown on the go card.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

?Transport in Queensland is in a mess.?

?This has been recently acknowledged by the State Government with the creation of a special unit target growing congestion and commuter anger within the Premier?s Department.?

?Problems are acute in south-east Queensland.  The go card roll out is not going well either (1). Yesterday?s attempts, since corrected, to blame drivers for a time problem with the go card on buses and ferries suggests no one in the Minister?s Office or Translink actually understands how problematical the go card roll out is (2).?

?A public apology to Brisbane?s bus drivers is certainly in order in our opinion.?

?Public transport vehicles, buses and trains are regularly carrying heavy passenger loadings often over their design limit.  This is a serious safety concern (3, 4). Commuters are regularly left behind at bus and ferry stops and railway stations.?

?The evidence would suggest the present port folios for the Minister, namely Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations are too broad with too many competing issues.

?A dedicated Minister for Transport is urgently required in our opinion.?

?Meaningful consultation with commuters is also needed to move forward.  The present ?cones of silence? surrounding feedback and suggestions from public transport commuters is part of the problem.?

Reference:

1.  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=698.0

2.  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=743.0

3.  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=686.0

4. http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=693.0

Robert  Dow

Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

From Brisbane mX 24 April 2008 page 4 not online

Mickel apologises for slur on drivers

Mickel apologises for slur on drivers

Martin Phillip

Angry bus drivers rallied in George St today, despite winning an apology from Transport Minister JOhn Mickel after he  accused them of ripping off commuters.

Mickel claimed this week that council bus drivers were tampering with go card machines, leaving commuters to be hit with incorrect fares and penalties.

But mounting calls for his resignation from furious transport workers forced Mickel to back down this morning.

"If the drivers feel offended, I'm sorry," he said.
"At no time did I ever mean to berate drivers ... I was acting on the advice I ws given."

Rail, Tram and Bus Union assistant secretary David Matters said Mickel's remarks had poisoned relations between drivers and the public.

"My feeling is that it's good that he's starting to see the impact of his words.  This has created conflict between passengers and drivers," Matters said.

Drivers shelved a plan to stop collecting fares in protest at Mickel's comments, he said.

The transport minister promised the problems with the trouble-plagued go card would be fixed by the end of next week.

"It is a software issue and Cubic, the people who look after the software, are doing something about it," Mickel said.

Shadow Transport Minister Tim Nicholls said bus drivers had been used as scapegoats for the ongoing go card troubles.

[ozbob]

Pleased to note that Minister John Mickel has publicly apologised to the drivers.  Thank you.

Minister, you would be well advised to read our smart card threads.  There the real situation with the go card is evident, not the nonsense you are being fed by your staff and Translink.

Happy to discuss this any time.

Threads are here --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?board=27.0

Admin

[ozbob]

Yet another reason why a dedicated Minister for Transport is needed in Queensland.

See --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=804.msg3452#msg3452