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THURSDA", APRIL 4, 1985
IN THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS, THE WORKING GROUP CONSIDERED THAT A CHARTERED ENGINEER WITH RELEVANT PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE SHOULD BE ENGAGED BY CMB TO HEAD ITS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AND THAT HE SHOULD BE GIVEN FULL AUTHORITY TO IMPLEMENT THE NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS TO MAINTENANCE STANDARDS AND FACILITIES.
IN ADDITION, THE ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE OF THE COMPANY AND ITS MAINTENANCE AND DOCUMENTATION SYSTEMS SHOULD BE REVIEWED.
RECOMMENDATIONS WERE ALSO MADE THAT CMB SHOULD ESTABLISH A SEPARATE QUALITY CONTROL SECTION AND SHOULD TAKE CONCERTED ACTION TO TRAIN ITS WORKFORCE, INCLUDING THE RECRUITMENT OF A TRAINING OFFICER.
WITH REGARD TO DEFECTS AND MAINTENANCE WORK WITH FLEET-WIDE IMPLICATIONS, THE WORK ING GROUP CONSIDERED THAT WRITTEN PROCEDURES SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED WHICH WOULD ENSURE THAT SUCH WORK WAS CONDUCTED THOROUGHLY AND EXPEDITIOUSLY AND THAT CMB'S DETAILED RECORDS SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT.
CMB HAS COMMENTED IN DETAIL ON THE REPORT OF THE WORKING GROUP, EMPHASISING THAT CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS THE SETTING UP OF THE CHAI WAN CRAFT TRAINING SCHOOL AND THE ORDERING OF MODERN SPECIALIST EQUIPMENT HAVE TAKEN PLACE SINCE THE 1983 TAC REVIEW. WHILE CMB DOES NOT SHARE SOME OF THE FINDINGS OF THE WORKING GROUP, FOR EXAMPLE WITH REGARD TO ITS CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAMMES, THE QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE OF ITS BUS ENGINEERS, AND THE INFERENCE DRAWN FROM THE DAILY BUS BREAKDOWN RATE, IT HAS ALREADY INITIATED ACTION IN MANY AREAS AND STRESSED THAT IT IS ANXIOUS TO FOLLOW UP ANY REASONABLE RECOMMENDATIONS.
+ THE POSITIVE APPROACH BY CMB IS MOST WELCOME AND ANY SUGGESTION THAT CMB HAS CAPITULATED UNDER PRESSURE IS NOT JUSTIFIED, + THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
ONS
THE REPORT ALSO EXAMINED THE ROLE OF THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE AND MADE A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE ON EXISTING PROCEDURES.
ON THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT'S MONITORING WORK AND ITS EXISTING INSPECTION AND SPOT CHECK PROGRAMMES, THE WORKING GROUP CONSIDERED THAT EFFORTS SHOULD BE STEPPED UP AND INTENSIFIED. IT ALSO RECOMENDED THAT APART FROM THE POLICE, THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE AUTHORISED AND STAFFED TO INITIATE PROSECUTION ACTION SINCE IT IS IN A BETTER POSITION TO DETECT MECHANICAL FAULTS THROUGH ITS SPOT CHECKS.
FURTHERMORE, IT RECOMMENDED THAT FINANCIAL PENALTIES SHOULD BE IMPOSED ON CMB FOR BREACHES OF FRANCHISE IF IT COULD BE ESTABLISHED THAT SUCH PENALTIES COULD BE EXCLUDED FROM THE OPERATING COSTS OF THE COMPANY.
/THE WORKING