XN000022-1985-06-25 — Page 8

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 1985

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THIRD PROGRESS REPORT ON CMB MAINTENANCE

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THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT, WITH HELP FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE, CAN INITIATE PROSECUTIONS NEXT MONTH AGAINST CMB AND OTHER FRANCHISED BUS COMPANIES FOR MAJOR SAFETY DEFECTS FOUND ON THEIR BUSES DURING SPOT CHECKS.

THIS IS REVEALED IN THE THIRD PROGRESS REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REPORT OF THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE WORKING GROUP ON CMB MAINTENANCE SUBMITTED TO TAC MEMBERS FOR DISCUSSION AT THEIR MEETING TODAY (TUESDAY).

MEMBERS NOTED THAT THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAD WORKED OUT ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE SO THAT, PENDING THE TRAINING OF ITS OWN STAFF TO TAKE ON PROSECUTION WORK, THE POLICE AND LAY PROSECUTORS WOULD ASSIST.

PROCEDURES HAD BEEN LAID DOWN TO ADVISE MOTOR VEHICLE EXAMINERS ON THE COLLECTION AND DOCUMENTATION OF EVIDENCE IN PREPARING CASES FOR PROSECUTION AND A GENERAL PRIORITY LIST ON ITEMS OF SAFETY DEFECTS WHICH WARRANTED PROSECUTION HAD ALSO BEEN DRAWN UP.

MEMBERS ALSO NOTED THAT THE DEPARTMENT WAS NOW FULLY ESTABLISHED TO CARRY OUT THOROUGH CHECKING AND CLOSE MONITORING OF CMB'S BUS MAINTENANCE WORK AND THAT IT WAS GENERALLY SATISFIED WITH THE GOOD PROGRESS MADE BY THE BUS COMPANY ON IMPROVEMENTS TO PHYSICAL FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT.

NEVERTHELESS, THE DEPARTMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO SCRUTINISE THE POSITION TO ENSURE THAT CMB KEPT UP ITS EFFORTS.

ON CMB'S PART, IT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF NEGOTIATING A CONTRACT WITH A CONSULTANT TO DO AN ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT STUDY OF ITS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. THE BUS COMPANY WAS TOLD OF TAC'S CONCERN AT THE IR LAST MEETING OVER ITS LACK OF PROGRESS IN IMPROVING ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT.

CMB STILL REPORTED DIFFICULTIES IN RECRUITING A CHARTERED ENGINEER WITH RELEVANT EXPERIENCE TO HEAD ITS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT BUT INDICATED THAT AS A MORE FLEXIBLE ALTERNATIVE, IT WAS HOPEFUL OF FINDING A COMPETENT BUT NON-CHARTERED ENGINEER WITH THE RIGHT BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE SOON. THIS FOLLOWED TAC'S DECISION LAST MONTH NOT TO INSIST ON THE POST BEING FILLED BY A CHARTERED ENGINEER IN VIEW OF CMB'S DIFFICULTIES IN RECRUITING ONE.

MEANWHILE, THE EFFECTS OF CMB'S QUALITY CONTROL SECTION, SET UP IN JANUARY THIS YEAR, BECAME MORE APPARENT. FLAWS FOUND ON CMB BUSES DURING SPOT CHECKS HAD DROPPED TO AN AVERAGE OF ONE SAFETY DEFECT PER BUS IN MAY, COMPARED WITH AN AVERAGE OF THREE AND 1.4 SAFETY DEFECTS PER BUS IN JANUARY AND APRIL RESPECTIVELY.

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