XN000022-1980-05-12 — Page 5

MONDAY, MAY 12, 1980

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GOVERNMENT CARS COME UNDER CENTRAL MANAGEMENT

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AN INDEPENDENT GOVERNMENT LAND TRANSPORT AGENCY WAS RECENTLY ESTABLISHED TO INTRODUCE A CENTRALISED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR THE FLEET OF GOVERNMENT VEHICLES.

THE MAIN AIMS OF THE AGENCY ARE TO IMPROVE TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT AND TO OPERATE THE FLEET AS ECONOMICALLY AS POSSIBLE.

A TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM HAS BEEN INTRODUCED TO HELP ACHIEVE THESE AIMS.

UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF ITS CONTROLLER, MR J.W. GRAY, THE AGENCY EVALUATES STATISTICAL INFORMATION ON THE UTILISATION OF GOVERNMENT VEHICLES SUBMITTED BY VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, AND IDENTIF IES AREAS WHERE MORE ECONOMICAL MEASURES CAN BE INTRODUCED.

THE INFORMATION SYSTEM IS ALSO USED TO SCREEN REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL CARS.

MR GRAY POINTED OUT THAT THE HIGH CAPITAL AND OPERATING COSTS INVOLVED IN MANAGING A LARGE VEHICLE FLEET REQUIRED A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF FORWARD PLANNING.

THE MOST ECONOMICAL TYPES OF VEHICLES MUST BE OBTAINED IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND THEREAFTER, DAILY TRANSPORT OPERATIONS MUST BE CLOSELY SUPERVISED IN VIEW OF THE HIGH COST OF PETROL, HE EXPLAINED.

+BY CENTRALISING ALL THE MANY ADMINISTRATIVE ASPECTS OF MANAGING A LARGE VEHICLE FLEET, THE LAND TRANSPORT AGENCY CAN ADVISE THE GOVERNMENT ON THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS OF CUTTING OPERATING COSTS AND IMPROVING VEHICLE UTILISATION.

+THE AGENCY ALSO CONTROLS THE USE OF ALL POOL VEHICLES AND WILL INTRODUCE FURTHER CENTRALISATION BY REDUCING DEPARTMENT TRANSPORT, MR GRAY SAID.

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