XN000022-1981-12-09 — Page 26

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBE: 9. 1981

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BUS DRIVERS FEEL THAT THEY ARE OFTEN BLAMED FOR PROBLEMS OF THE BUS SERVICES FOR WHICH THEY HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY. THE TEAM FOUND THAT MANY DRIVERS ARE INTELLIGENT AND SENS!. E AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE COMPANIES AND GOVERNMENT MIGHT FIND IT USEFUL TO INVOLVE DRIVERS IN DECISIONS THAT INVOLVE

HEIR DAY-TO-DAY ORK.

THERE IS SCOPE FOR MORE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE BUS COMPANIES AND GOVERNMENT ON MATTERS SUCH AS OVERLOADING WHERE CONFLICTING OBJECTIVES LACE UNFAIR DEMANDS ON THE DRIVERS. THERE IS A NEED FOR MORE THOROUGH EXAMINATIONS OF DRIVER SELECTION AND TRAINING, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIFFERENT PATTERNS OF WORK AND ACCIDENTS, BUS CAB DESIGN, THE EFFECTS OF VIBRATION ON DRIVERS AND THE METHODS OF REPORTIN

AT TODAY'S MEETING OF REPRESENTATIVES OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, THE DEPARTMENTAL VIEWS ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE CONSIDERED. IT WAS AGREED THAT THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT, AFTER CONSULTING THE BUS COMPANIES, WILL CONSOLIDATE THE VARIOUS COMMENTS RECEIVED AND PREPARE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION TO BE TAKEN.

+ THE MEETING, HOWEVER, NOTED THAT BUS ACCIDENT RATES IN HC G KONG WERE NOT FOUND TO BE EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH IN COM ARISON WITH OTHER LARGE CITIES, GIVEN THE VERY HIGH VEHICLE AND PEDESTRIAN DENSITY, ALTHOUGH FURTHER EFFORTS ARE NEEDED TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS, + A TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.

MORE VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT FOR PROBATION SCHEME

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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR SELWYN ALLEYNE, TODAY (WEDNESDAY) EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT MORE CIVIC-MINDED CITIZENS WOULD JOIN THE VOLUNTEER SCHEME FOR PROBATIONERS RUN BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.

HE TOLD A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE LIONS CLUB OF VICTORIA THAT FEEDBACK FROM THE VOLUNTEERS SHOWED THAT IN ALMOST ALL CASES, THEY WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PROBATIONERS AND GAINED GREAT SATISFACTION IN WORKING WITH THEM.

THE PROBATIONERS IN TURN WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE HELP THEY RECEIVED.

A STUDY UNDERTAKEN BY THE DEPARTMENT FROM APRIL 1978 TO MARCH 1980 INDICATED THAT 90 PER CENT OF PROBATION OFFICERS FELT THE VOLUNTEERS HAD ACCOMPLISHED THEIR ASSIGNMENTS. EIGHTY-TWO PER CENT OF THE VOLUNTEERS HELD THE SAME VIEW AND 83 PER CENT OF THE PROBATIONERS AGREED.

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