New Surfside owner to jettison management positions including that of Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce president Martin Hall

The takeover of Surfside Buslines owner Transit Australia Group has claimed its first casualty with news a leading Gold Coast business leader’s position is set to be scrapped.

The general manager position of Surfside Buslines, held by Martin Hall, will no longer exist under a restructure of management by Kinetic. Picture: Mike Batterham

GOLD Coast Chamber of Commerce president Martin Hall’s job running Surfside Buslines is to be scrapped in a takeover by the owner of SkyBus — and he isn’t ruling out a politics run.

Canadian pension fund-owned AATS Group bought Transit Australia Group, which includes Surfside, in April this year. It recently grouped TAG alongside its other business SkyBus under the name Kinetic.

It is understood the new entity has embarked on a restructure to eliminate middle-management positions across the group, including Mr Hall’s job as general manager of Surfside.

The general manager roles at TAG are to be replaced by depot managers, overseen by a group manager for both SkyBus and TAG.

Mr Hall has held the role at Surfside since 2015 after joining TAG from Hornibrook Bus Lines where he also held the general manager role.

SkyBus entered the Gold Coast market in 2017 after acquiring the Gold Coast Tourist Shuttle.

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He issued a short statement through his spokesman saying the management changes would not effect frontline services.

“It will be business as usual for the Gold Coast community as Surfside transitions under new management,” he said.

“Bus drivers have one of the most important jobs in the world and I remain passionate about the role of public transport in connecting communities.”

Mr Hall is staying with TAG during the transition and said to be weighing up his options. In response to a question about whether he has considered putting his hand up for a political role, perhaps at next year’s council elections, Mr Hall said “never say never”.

Surfside Buslines was purchased by AATS Group, now Kinetic, in 2017 as part of a $200 million deal for Transit Australia Group. Pictured is Surfside Buslines driver Kaylene Kreuzer at the Upper Coomera depot. Picture: Jerad Williams

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“Nothing is ever ruled out. I’m certainly cognisant of all I have done (in my role as chamber president).”

Mr Hall’s term as general manager has not been without controversy. In 2015 he warned bus drivers to stop urinating in their buses or face the sack. He said drivers could be regarded as not being fit for their jobs if they could not go without ­toilet stops.

SkyBus is an airport transit bus service that first entered the Gold Coast market in 2017 after buying the Gold Coast Tourist Shuttle.

Kinetic has offered few details on how the acquisition of TAG would affect staff and operations since announcing completion of the $200 million deal. A Kinetic spokesman said the company remains committed to being a “world-leading provider of mass transit solutions”.

Kinetic co-chief executive Adam Begg.

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“As our group aligns with Transit Australia Group, some management changes will occur including creating a number of new roles to enhance the level of support to our service delivery teams.”

It was revealed last week TAG’s manufacturing arm Bustech had been excluded from the deal with Kinetic.

Bustech announced it was merging with Adelaide-based rival Precision Buses.

TAG, launched by brothers Tony and Joe Calabro in 1989 after they purchased Surfside Buslines, today is the largest privately owned public transport operator in Queensland, with a staff of 1400 operating a fleet of 700 buses.