TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1985
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TAC TO CONTINUE MONITORING CMB PERFORMANCE
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THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE DECIDED TODAY (TUESDAY) TO MONITOR CHINA MOTOR BUS' PERFORMANCE IN IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WORKING GROUP ON CMB MAINTENANCE FOR A FURTHER PERIOD UP TO MARCH 1986.
THIS DECISION WAS TAKEN AFTER CONSIDERING THE SIXTH PROGRESS REPORT WHICH REVEALED THAT CMB'S PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WORK ING GROUP REPORT SO FAR HAS BEEN POSITIVE AND THAT THERE ARE CLEAR SIGNS THAT THE COMPANY IS PUTTING A REAL EFFORT INTO ACHIEVING THE NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS.
IN MAKING ITS INTERIM ASSESSMENT OF CMB, THE TAC NOTED THAT:
* SAFETY STANDARDS OF BUSES HAVE BEEN STEADILY RAISED THROUGH AN IMPROVED SERVICING SYSTEM, ESTABLISHMENT OF A QUALITY CONTROL SECTION AND BETTER STAFF SUPERVISION AND TRAINING. THERE HAVE BEEN SIGN IF I CANT REDUCTION IN SAFETY DEFECTS DURING SPOT CHECKS. IN SEPTEMBER, 44 SPOT CHECKS WERE CARRIED OUT BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT'S VEHICLE EXAMINERS AND THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF SAFETY DEFECTS PER BUS FOUND WAS 0.5 COMPARED WITH THREE PER BUS IN JANUARY*
* CMB HAS ACHIEVED CONSIDERABLE PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS AT ITS DEPOTS AND HAS PURCHASED MANY NEW ITEMS OF EQUIPMENT RECOMMENDED BY THE WORK ING GROUP SUCH AS THE CHASSIS CLEANER AND ULTRASONIC FLAW DETECTOR.
* CONCERTED EFFORTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO UPGRADE THE
TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR ITS WORKFORCE BY EXPANDING ITS TRAINING FACILITIES AND INVITING THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC TO DRAW UP A TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR CMB CRAFTSMEN AND TECHNICIANS;
* WORKING PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN REVISED AND STREAMLINED TO FACILITATE EARLY DETECTION OF FAULTS ON BUSES AND TO ENSURE THEIR PROPER RECTIFICATION. THESE INCLUDE A NEW PROCEDURE FOR THE PURCHASE OF SPARE PARTS, THE DRAWING UP OF A STANDARD CHECK LIST FOR DRIVERS, A REVISED SYSTEM FOR DAILY MAINTENANCE CHECKS, PROCEDURES FOR TYRE INSPECTION AND BUS CLEANSING, AND AN IMPROVED SERVICING SYSTEM TO ENSURE THAT ALL BUSES RECEIVED THEIR MONTHLY SERVICING ON TIME;
* CMB HAS DRAWN UP A BUS WITHDRAWAL PROGRAMME AS PART
OF ITS FIVE-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME AND HAS TAKEN STEPS TO WITHDRAW SOME OF ITS OLD BUSES FROM SERVICE.
THE TAC NOTED THAT THE COMPANY HAS BEEN UNDER CONSIDERABLE PRESSURE TO MAKE QUICK AND POSITIVE ADJUSTMENTS TO ITS SERVICES IN ORDER TO COPE WITH THE RAPID CHANGES IN TRAVEL PATTERNS BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE OPENING OF THE MTR ISLAND LINE.
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