Vic: Connex to put on extra drivers to avert train cancellations

AAP General News (Australia)
08-11-2004
Vic: Connex to put on extra drivers to avert train cancellations

By Nick Lenaghan and Ben Packham

MELBOURNE, Aug 11 AAP - Melbourne's train operator Connex will employ 108 extra drivers
over the next two years to prevent embarrassing and costly service cancellations.

The company has been forced to pay an average of $1 million each month for the past
three months in government penalties as driver shortages disrupt services.

"That's leading us to just not have enough drivers to cover the available shifts that
we need to have worked," Connex chairman Bob Annells said today.

"We will be taking on well in excess of 100 new drivers over the next two years.

"Unfortunately to get that sort of net increase you have to increase by much more than
that because you have retirements and resignations."

Although new drivers were being recruited and trained already, it would take at least
12 months before the shortages were reduced due the lengthy 68-week training period, he
said.

"Until we can get the trained drivers we need into the system then we will continue
to have considerable problems.

"Not as bad as it is now, it will progressively get better."

In May alone 662 train services were cancelled, with the Sandringham, Frankston and
Williamstown lines worst hit, according to government figures.

The driver shortage was worst on the bayside lines and it was inherited from the previous
operator National Express which had run one half of the train system, Mr Annells said.

Transport Minister Peter Batchelor backed the Connex plan to recruit more drivers as
well as offer incentives to current drivers to defer their retirement.

"We sympathise with the travelling public of Melbourne, it has been a difficult time,"

Mr Batchelor said.

"We are taking what steps we can. There is a national shortage of train drivers."

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union's locomotive division secretary Marc Marotta said Connex
had agreed to boost driver training at a meeting late last month.

"They've given a firm commitment to recruit at least 54 trainees per annum for at least
the next two years," Mr Marotta said.

Mr Marotta said Connex was already about 47 drivers down and it also had to cover an
annual attrition rate of about seven per cent.

In February this year, the state government signed a $2.3 million deal with two companies,
Yarra Trams and Connex, to run Melbourne's trains and trams.

The government pays Connex $345 million and Yarra Trams $112 million each year under
the five year agreement.

AAP nl/dk/cjh/jlw

KEYWORD: TRANSPORT VIC NIGHTLEAD

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