School buses' future uncertain

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 5, 28 July 1987, Page 1

School buses' future uncertain

The future of rural school bus services run by the Department of Education is uncertain due to a governmentai cost-cutting measure to tender to private operators and encourage competition in those services. The future of school bus drivers and mechanical staff is therefore also uncertain. All existing bus routes will be put up for tender over the next three years, according to Minister of Education Russell Marshall who made the announcement last month. The change to privately operated bus services would mean that staff are liable to be made redundant. One such staff member is District Mechanical Supervisor, Robert James, based in Ohakune, who said he cannot see the sense in the move to private operators. Mr James and Bob Brown, garage assistant of 17 years, were offered redundancy or transfer recently, although the 30 school bus runs in the Taihape/Waimarino districts have yet to be put up for tender. Mr Marshall said in June that the Government recognised the need "to create greater opportunity for competitive enterprise," but conceded that there was no tangible proof that savings would be achieved by a change to competitive tender ing. Mr James expressed confusion and concern by their move to cut back and reiterated the almost flawless record of the Department of Education in their 63 years. "Our safety record speaks for itself - it is crucial especially when the condition of some rural roads is taken into consideration," he said. Mr James says six of the fourteen bus routes in the Waimarino operate in harsh conditions. "In these areas, safety is of the utmost importance," he said. "Buses are serviced every 650 kilometres and thoroughly examined every 90 days by highly qualified mechanics who are employed because they are the best." Mr James expressed concern that cost cutting would lower the standard of safety for children using the service.

"We set the standards" he said. Mr Marshall has however given assurances that high safety and reliability standards would be maintained. "Only operators holding a transport licence will be . able to tender for any school bus routes in the future," he said. Mr James said a survey started 18 months ago of the running costs of all buses shows exact costs of fuel, maintenance and cleaning, "right down to the last cent." He was confident that no saving would be gained by tendering and said that the Department was already very cost competitive when compared with the private sector. cont'd on p. 8

School Buses

cont'dfrom p. 1 Mr James expressed concem that such services as transporting children from National Park during bus maintenance trips will become non-existent and parents will have to pay to carry children to and from Ohakune. Mr James said he has been offered redundancy, "but there's no good leaving without a job to go to." "It doesn't make sense- we live in hope that someone will see sense," he said.