Metro faces second front in battle to keep buses running as mechanics launch pay rise bid

Public transport provider Metro is facing a second front in its battle to keep buses running, with a push from mechanics for a substantial pay rise. See the full list of cancelled services.

A Metro bus outside Eastlands Shopping Centre. Picture: Linda Higginson

UPDATE, August 25, 5pm: Transport provider Metro is facing a second front in its battle to keep buses running, with a push from mechanics for a substantial pay rise.

The union representing heavy vehicle mechanics at the bus operator say workers have fallen behind their private sector peers, resulting in high turnover and widespread vacancies.

Industrial action is being considered as the union and the company remain a long way apart during enterprise bargaining negotiations.

Metro on Thursday announced temporary cutbacks to timetables in Hobart due to a shortage of bus drivers.

Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union state organiser Jacob Batt said the issues Metro was having with staff were not confined to its drivers.

“Metro workshops have had a steady and stable workforce for over 25 years, but not anymore.

In the last 18 months, there has been a 60 per cent turnover of heavy vehicle mechanics and one-third of tradespeople positions are still vacant,” he said.

“After a decade of Liberal Governments, heavy vehicle mechanics are leaving Metro because their pay is so far below the industry and market rate.

“Premier Rockliff and Minister Ferguson are deliberately underfunding Metro and running our public transport service into the ground.

“Heavy vehicle mechanics at Metro are highly skilled and sought after, with most being dual trade and moving to each having three trade certificates, but paid well below the industry and trade norm.

Mr Batt said that pay needed to match market rates in order for staff to stick around.

“It beggars belief that the state government has contracts with private bus company Kinetic, and Kinetic can offer industry rates of pay to their mechanics but Metro so far refuse to.

“Unless Jeremy Rockliff and Michael Ferguson properly fund Metro so workers receive comparable industry rates of pay – mechanic positions won’t be filled, bus servicing won’t be done, and more routes will have to be dropped.

A Metro spokesman said negotiations were continuing.

“Metro has put forward what it considers to be a fair and affordable offer for its engineering team.

“While Metro is disappointed that the AMWU has lodged the application to undertake industrial action, it continues to bargain in good faith.

“This includes the Fair Work Commission compulsory conciliation process which was held this week.”

August 24: Metro Tasmania will cut 180 of its daily weekday services in Hobart from next week until it can make up a shortfall of around three dozen drivers.

The CEO of the state-government owned bus service, Katie Cooper, said a nationwide transport worker shortage was affecting service reliability, so high-frequency services would be scaled back and low-patronage routes rejigged.

School bus services would not be affected, she said.

A list of affected services will be placed on the Metro website and online journey planners and timetables would be updated from Monday.

“We’re still delivering the vast majority of our services with about 2500 services per day,” Ms Cooper said.

Katie Cooper, CEO of Metro Tasmania. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“We would like to introduce the services back as soon as we’re able to, but I think we’re looking at you know, we’ll do a review in about six months time.

“We do think this is a really necessary step to try and improve the certainty and reliability that we’re providing to customers who travel in our network.”

Metro would not be offering more money to attract new drivers, she said.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union Tasmanian Secretary Ric Bean said the cutbacks were due to long-term failures of Metro management to recruit and retain staff.

“The reduction in Metro services announced today is the inevitable result of the absolute failure of Metro management and the Tasmanian Liberal Government to address longstanding workplace concerns over safety, pay and working conditions at Metro Tasmania,” he said.

“There is nothing worse in public transport than leaving passengers stranded by the side of road, waiting for a service that will never come.

“But this situation has happened time and time again, right throughout the year, because Metro has failed to take the necessary steps to address the declining number of bus drivers in its ranks.”

Infrastructure and Transport Minster Michael Ferguson said the government would help Metro to improve its reliability when the bus operator showed it had improved its reliability.

“I’ve told them any support that they need will be provided but they’ve got to get reliability up and 95 per cent might sound good, it’s not good enough, we need to get it to 100 per cent.

“That’s been my insistence and my support for the company and its board will of course continue but passengers should not be in any doubt about where their buses are and reliability is key.

Metro Bus in Hobart. Picture: Linda Higginson

The mayors of Clarence, Glenorchy, Hobart and Kingborough issued a joint statement lamenting the decision.

“As a growing region anchored by a contemporary capital city, Greater Hobart needs a reliable, sustainable and cost effective public transport system. The news of Metro reducing its services is a backwards step that demonstrates we’re failing to fulfil this vision,” they said.

“For Greater Hobart to have a credible bus network, commuters need to have confidence in the frequency and reliability of services.

“In contrast, the reduction in services will create immediate disruption and inconvenience for commuters while sending a very negative signal about the future of the network.

Labor’s Josh Willie said he had little faith the cuts would be temporary.

“This Liberal government can’t get it right. It’s a basic service that Tasmanians should be able to rely on and under this government, they’ve run it down and now they’re cutting it.”

And Rail Action Group President Toby Rowallan said he could provide an alternate proposal for reliable public transport along the northern transport corridor.

“If buses were going to generate increased public transport use then they would have done so already,” he said.

“But no, instead the state government is persisting with its shortsighted and destructive plan to rip up the rails and build a busway.”

The following trips will be temporarily suspended from Monday 28 August and will not run:

Please note: IN are services travelling in towards Hobart, OUT are services travelling out of Hobart.

Monday to Thursday Friday ONLY

Rt X07 6:25am IN Rt X07 6:25am IN

Rt 551 6:41am IN Rt 561 6:38am IN

Rt X30 6:45am IN Rt 551 6:41am IN

Rt 413 6:48am OUT Rt 530 6:43am IN

Rt 540 6:50am IN Rt X30 6:45am IN

Rt 562 6:52am IN Rt 655 6:49am OUT

Rt 601 7:07am OUT Rt 457 6:52am IN

Rt 500 7:07am IN Rt 655 7:10am IN

Rt 408 7:12am OUT Rt X20 7:11am IN

Rt X10 7:13am IN Rt X30 7:15am IN

Rt 561 7:18am IN Rt 511 7:19am OUT

Rt 685 7:20am IN Rt 501 7:22am IN

Rt 541 7:20am IN Rt 426 7:23am IN

Rt 426 7:23am IN Rt 407 7:25am IN

Rt 503 7:24am OUT Rt 457 7:26am IN

Rt 695 7:25am OUT Rt X42 7:33am IN

Rt 407 7:25am IN Rt 409 7:33am IN

Rt 409 7:33am IN Rt 684 7:34am OUT

Rt 413 7:36am IN Rt 615 7:39am OUT

Rt 601 7:37am OUT Rt X01 7:40am IN

Rt X01 7:40am IN Rt 530 7:43am OUT

Rt 503 7:42am IN Rt 695 7:49am IN

Rt 601 7:44am IN Rt 502 7:57am IN

Rt 407 7:45am IN Rt 685 8:00am IN

Rt 501 7:45am IN Rt 409 8:03am IN

Rt 601 7:58am OUT Rt X11 8:08am IN

Rt 502 7:59am OUT Rt X20 8:09am IN

Rt 409 8:03am IN Rt 502 8:12am IN

Rt 695 8:09am IN Rt 676 8:12am IN

Rt 502 8:12am IN Rt X16 8:15am IN

Rt 601 8:12am IN Rt 511 8:17am OUT

Rt 676 8:12am IN Rt 501 8:20am OUT

Rt X02 8:15am IN Rt 694 8:22am OUT

Rt 510 8:19am OUT Rt 511 8:22am IN

Rt 694 8:22am OUT Rt 684 8:29am IN

Rt 655 8:27am OUT Rt 601 8:30am OUT

Rt 503 8:30am OUT Rt 415 8:35am OUT

Rt 601 8:30am OUT Rt 541 8:45am IN

Rt 624 8:36am IN Rt 501 8:50am IN

Rt X20 8:39am IN Rt X20 8:52am OUT

Rt 503 8:46am IN Rt 530 9:12am OUT

Rt 501 8:50am IN Rt 560 9:14am IN

Rt X20 8:52am OUT Rt 511 9:18am IN

Rt 510 8:52am IN Rt 601 9:19am IN

Rt 530 9:12am OUT Rt 654 9:26am OUT

Rt 601 9:19am IN Rt 413 9:38am OUT

Rt 601 9:35am OUT Rt 655 9:40am IN

Rt 426 9:36am OUT Rt 415 9:47am IN

Rt 624 9:37am OUT Rt 501 9:55am OUT

Rt 540 9:58am OUT Rt 616 10:00am OUT

Rt X20 10:01am IN Rt X20 10:01am IN

Rt 530 10:04am IN Rt 530 10:04am IN

Rt 601 10:05am OUT Rt 601 10:05am OUT

Rt 625 10:08am IN Rt 429 10:06am OUT

Rt 510 10:11am OUT Rt 448 10:20am OUT

Rt 448 10:20am OUT Rt 615 10:28am IN

Rt 426 10:26am IN Rt 429 10:38am IN

Rt 540 10:30am IN Rt 448 10:45am IN

Rt 448 10:45am IN Rt X20 10:52am OUT

Rt 510 10:47am IN Rt 402 10:53am OUT

Rt 601 10:49am IN Rt 413 11:04am IN

Rt 562 10:50am IN Rt 401 11:06am IN

Rt 696 10:53am OUT Rt 562 11:08am OUT

Rt 503 10:57am OUT Rt 446 11:08am OUT

Rt 694 11:05am IN Rt 448 11:20am OUT

Rt 429 11:06am OUT Rt 501 11:20am IN

Rt 541 11:14am OUT Rt 503 11:27am OUT

Rt 501 11:20am IN Rt 446 11:27am IN

Rt 615 11:27am OUT Rt 401 11:33am OUT

Rt 601 11:35am OUT Rt 448 11:45am IN

Rt 429 11:38am IN Rt 541 11:45am IN

Rt 665 11:46am OUT Rt 402 11:52am IN

Rt 696 11:48am IN Rt X20 11:52am OUT

Rt 562 11:50am IN Rt 562 12:08pm OUT

Rt 616 12:00pm IN Rt 550 12:19pm OUT

Rt 601 12:19pm IN Rt 402 12:23pm OUT

Rt 664 12:22pm IN Rt 501 12:25pm OUT

Rt 503 12:27pm OUT Rt 501 12:55pm OUT

Rt 446 12:28pm OUT Rt 401 12:36pm IN

Rt 676 12:31pm OUT Rt 550 1:42pm IN

Rt 446 12:47pm IN Rt 634 12:57pm OUT

Rt 696 12:53pm OUT Rt 501 1:01pm OUT

Rt 655 12:56pm OUT Rt X20 1:01pm IN

Rt 634 12:57pm OUT Rt 401 1:03pm OUT

Rt 606 1:00pm OUT Rt 694 1:05pm IN

Rt 601 1:05pm OUT Rt 510 1:11pm OUT

Rt 654 1:10pm IN Rt 560 1:14pm IN

Rt 606 1:16pm IN Rt 402 1:22pm IN

Rt 511 1:17pm OUT Rt 510 1:47pm IN

Rt 550 1:19pm OUT Rt 634 1:47pm IN

Rt 684 1:30pm OUT Rt 501 1:55pm OUT

Rt 458 1:42pm OUT Rt 634 1:57pm OUT

Rt 503 1:46pm IN Rt 616 2:00pm OUT

Rt 634 1:47pm IN Rt 501 2:20pm IN

Rt 696 1:48pm IN Rt 448 2:20pm OUT

Rt 501 1:50pm IN Rt 402 2:23pm OUT

Rt 694 1:53pm OUT Rt 615 2:28pm IN

Rt 684 1:56pm IN Rt 401 2:36pm IN

Rt 503 1:57pm OUT Rt 540 2:38pm OUT

Rt X20 2:01pm IN Rt 448 2:45pm IN

Rt 458 2:16pm IN Rt 634 2:45pm IN

Rt 511 2:18pm IN Rt 541 2:45pm IN

Rt 624 2:37pm OUT Rt X20 2:52pm OUT

Rt 540 2:38pm OUT Rt 504 2:52pm OUT

Rt 541 2:45pm IN Rt 530 2:55pm OUT

Rt 503 2:46pm IN Rt 606 3:00pm OUT

Rt 501 2:47pm IN Rt 502 3:05pm OUT

Rt 504 2:52pm OUT Rt 562 3:08pm OUT

Rt X20 2:52pm OUT Rt 447 3:10pm OUT

Rt 694 2:53pm OUT Rt 606 3:16pm IN

Rt 606 3:00pm OUT Rt 501 3:17pm IN

Rt 625 3:07pm IN Rt 601 3:17pm IN

Rt 695 3:15pm OUT Rt 402 3:20pm OUT

Rt 606 3:16pm IN Rt 501 3:25pm OUT

Rt 409 3:19pm OUT Rt 615 3:25pm OUT

Rt 408 3:20pm OUT Rt 606 3:27pm OUT

Rt 501 3:25pm OUT Rt 502 3:28pm IN

Rt 615 3:25pm OUT Rt X13 3:30pm OUT

Rt 606 3:27pm OUT Rt 401 3:35pm IN

Rt 446 3:40pm OUT Rt 540 3:38pm OUT

Rt X16 3:40pm OUT Rt 550 3:42pm IN

Rt 550 3:42pm IN Rt 530 3:45pm IN

Rt 458 3:45pm OUT Rt 504 3:50pm IN

Rt 695 3:49pm IN Rt 654 3:50pm OUT

Rt 654 3:50pm OUT Rt 501 3:55pm OUT

Rt 407 3:57pm IN Rt 511 4:08pm IN

Rt 407 4:00pm OUT Rt 606 4:08pm OUT

Rt 446 4:03pm IN Rt 552 4:09pm OUT

Rt 615 4:16pm IN Rt 560 4:14pm IN

Rt 501 4:20pm IN Rt 655 4:20pm IN

Rt 500 4:20pm IN Rt 530 4:20pm IN

Rt 504 4:20pm OUT Rt 501 4:22pm OUT

Rt X58 4:20pm IN Rt 412 4:23pm OUT

Rt 655 4:20pm IN Rt X50 4:25pm OUT

Rt 412 4:23pm OUT Rt X07 4:30pm OUT

Rt 676 4:24pm OUT Rt 510 4:33pm OUT

Rt X50 4:25pm OUT Rt 624 4:36pm IN

Rt X07 4:30pm OUT Rt 542 4:39pm IN

Rt 408 4:31pm IN Rt X58 4:45pm OUT

Rt 504 4:36pm IN Rt 655 4:50pm IN

Rt 560 4:36pm OUT Rt 541 4:53pm OUT

Rt 624 4:36pm IN Rt 402 4:53pm OUT

Rt X42 4:47pm OUT Rt X20 4:57pm OUT

Rt 695 4:50pm OUT Rt 401 5:09pm IN

Rt 513 4:55pm OUT Rt 540 5:18pm OUT

Rt 540 4:58pm OUT Rt 501 5:22pm IN

Rt 504 5:03pm OUT Rt 448 5:22pm OUT

Rt X11 5:09pm OUT Rt X58 5:28pm OUT

Rt 510 5:15pm OUT Rt 501 5:28pm OUT

Rt 553 5:18pm OUT Rt 560 5:36pm OUT

Rt 513 5:25pm OUT Rt X13 5:40pm OUT

Rt X58 5:28pm OUT Rt 426 5:45pm OUT

Rt 407 5:29pm IN Rt X16 5:46pm OUT

Rt 446 5:34pm OUT Rt 448 5:57pm IN

Rt 695 5:37pm IN Rt X50 6:05pm OUT

Rt 542 5:39pm IN Rt 407 6:05pm OUT

Rt X13 5:40pm OUT Rt 601 6:07pm OUT

Rt 624 5:41pm OUT Rt 429 6:12pm OUT

Rt 664 5:45pm OUT Rt 530 6:15pm IN

Rt 511 5:50pm IN Rt 655 6:20pm OUT

Rt 446 5:57pm IN Rt 426 6:28pm IN

Rt 634 6:00pm OUT Rt 408 6:35pm IN

Rt 504 6:03pm OUT Rt 615 6:38pm IN

Rt 447 6:08pm OUT Rt 654 6:45pm IN

Rt 429 6:12pm OUT Rt 694 6:53pm OUT

Rt 625 6:18pm IN Rt 615 6:58pm OUT

Rt 510 6:19pm OUT Rt 624 7:15pm OUT

Rt 665 6:23pm IN Rt 615 7:30pm IN

Rt 654 6:50pm OUT Rt 542 7:35pm IN

Rt 634 6:51pm IN Rt 625 7:43pm IN

Rt 412 7:05pm OUT Rt 511 8:03pm OUT

Rt 655 7:20pm IN Rt 615 8:25pm OUT

Rt 504 7:33pm OUT Rt 511 8:41pm IN

Rt 412 7:37pm IN Rt 503 9:05pm OUT

Rt 402 7:40pm OUT Rt 615 9:08pm IN

Rt 504 7:48pm IN Rt 503 9:19pm IN

Rt 401 7:58pm IN Rt 542 9:35pm IN