TUESDAY, MAY 28, 1985
8
POSITIVE REPORT BY TAC WORKING GROUP
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THE SECOND PROGRESS REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REPORT OF THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE WORKING GROUP ON CMB MAINTENANCE REVEALS THAT THE BUS COMPANY, THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE HAVE TAKEN POSITIVE STEPS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.
THE PROGRESS REPORT WAS SUBMITTED TO TAC MEMBERS FOR DISCUSSION AT THEIR MEETING TODAY.
MEMBERS NOTED THAT THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT. IN A BID TO STEP UP MONITORING OF MAINTENANCE WORK BY FRANCHISED BUS COMPANIES, IN PARTICULAR THAT OF CMB, HAD SET UP A SEPARATE BUS MAINTENANCE DIVISION UNDER THE OVERALL SUPERVISION OF A SENIOR ENGINEER.
STAFF SECONDMENT FROM THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND INTERNAL REDEPLOYMENT OF OFFICERS WITHIN THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAD ENABLED THE NEW DIVISION TO BECOME OPERATIVE FROM MAY 20, ALTHOUGH SOME POSTS HAD YET TO BE FILLED AND A RECRUITMENT EXERCISE WAS IN PROGRESS.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE DEPARTMENT WAS SETTING UP A PROSECUTION UNIT AS RECOMMENDED BY THE TAC WORKING GROUP REPORT.
ON THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE DEPARTMENT SHOULD ARRANGE FOR ITS MOTOR VEHICLE EXAMINERS TO BE LICENSED AND INSURED TO TAKE CMB BUSES OUT ON ROAD TESTS, TAC MEMBERS FELT THAT THERE WOULD BE MAJOR LEGAL PROBLEMS.
THEY ENDORSED AN ALTERNATIVE PROPOSED BY THE DEPARTMENT THAT SHOULD THE MOTOR VEHICLE EXAMINERS DEEM IT NECESSARY TO CONDUCT ROAD TESTS ON BUSES, TESTING COULD BE DONE BY CMB DRIVERS UNDER THE EXAMINERS' OBSERVATION.
MEMBERS ACCEPTED THAT MUCH OF THE BUS TESTING COULD BE EFFECTIVELY CARRIED OUT WITHIN THE BUS DEPOT WITH THE AID OF SUITABLE EQUIPMENT.
MEMBERS ALSO NOTED THAT THE CMB HAD MADE IMPROVEMENTS IN AREAS NOT COVERED IN THE FIRST PROGRESS REPORT, SUCH AS IN PUTTING STRAIGHT ITS MAINTENANCE RECORDS AND FAULT RECORDING SYSTEM, EFFORTS WERE ALSO MADE TO STEP UP ITS MONTHLY INSPECTION SERVICING PROGRAMME FOR BUSES AND TO PROVIDE REFRESHER TRAINING FOR ITS DRIVERS.
/THE TRANSPORT