ABC #399

INTERSTATE INTERACTION
With the Covid-19 border
closures, only half of the Busways
transition team was able to
get to Adelaide to manage
face-to-face meetings, depot and
fleet inspections, and training.
Original plans for depot-based
transition offices were changed to
accommodate physical distancing;
instead an off-site transition
office with expansive space was
established, Busways explains.
The team provided an
on-the-ground presence to
manage critical activities
and pared-back one-on-one
consultations, but most
engagement with transferring
employees had to be done
remotely, it says.
“We had to pivot our
engagement approach
to concentrate on regular,
meaningful and personal content
via the app. We committed to
a daily posting schedule, and
while that was managed by
our communications team, our
transition and leadership team
members actively participated
in posting their own content and
engaging in the comments so
relationships could be built early,”
Frith said.
All employees who registered to
transfer their employment signed
up for a user account and 99 per
cent accessed the app weekly
throughout the transition period,
Busways confirms. Utilisation has
remained high at 97 per cent of
users accessing the app at least
fortnightly since transition, it says.
E-BUSES PART OF QLD
ELECTION COMMITMENT
Ahead of the recent Queensland
state elections, the Labor government
announced a $23 billion investment to
“supercharge roads, public transport and
jobs”, with electric buses a key feature of
the plan.
The announcement would see the Gold
Coast and Logan areas set to become “the
home of electric buses with a re-elected
Palaszczuk government to supercharge
the industry by building and trialling
the technology in the growing region”,
it stated.
Transport and main roads minister
Mark Bailey says Gold Coast and
Logan commuters would enjoy “a
first-hand glimpse of the future” with
the government to partner with local
companies Bustech, Kinetic (Surfside
Buslines) and Clarks (Clarks Logan City
Bus Service), it confirms.
“We’ve built light rail, we’re rolling out
the longest electric vehicle superhighway
in the world, and from next year locals
will build and ride electric buses that
will be able to travel up to 300km from a
single charge,” minister Bailey said.
DRIVING FORCE
Member for Waterford, minister for
employment and small business,
and minister for training and skills
development Shannon Fentiman says 10
electric buses will be built on the Gold
Coast and rolled out across Logan.
“Before Covid-19 hit, our community
was a driving force behind two record
years of public transport use,” minister
Fentiman said.
“As part of Queensland’s plan for
economic recovery, the Palaszczuk
government is extending the busway
in Logan thanks to the $749 million
M1 upgrade through to Daisy Hill, and
very soon we’ll see electric buses on our
streets.”
Labor’s candidate for Currumbin
Kaylee Campradt says on the Gold Coast
electric buses would be used for the very
first time on the 777 bus route between
Broadbeach and the airport.
“We know buses play an important role
in connecting our community, alongside
the coast’s popular light rail and heavy
rail,” candidate Campradt said.
“With this very important first step it’ll
mean that by 2030 every new bus being
rolled out across Queensland will be a
zero-emissions bus, which is great news
for our environment too.
“We’re building more than $4 billion
in roads and transport for the region
supporting more than 3,000 jobs, and
with the electric bus market continually
evolving, I think we’ll potentially see
our community become the home of
advanced vehicle manufacturing in
Australia.”
Above: (L-R) Kinetic GM of SEQ Matt Campbell,
Labor candidate for Burleigh Wayne Bartholomew,
Labor candidate for Currumbin Kaylee Campradt,
Surfside Buslines depot manager Allyson Robinson
and minister for transport and main roads Mark
Bailey.
busnews.com.au November 2020 ABC
9