Students at Hobart College are reportedly missing buses and being left stranded at bus stops due to a reduction in Metro bus services, an Independent MP says.
David O’Byrne said the cuts have led to “rampant unplanned cancellations, buses not running to schedule and students being turned away because buses are full”.
He said the government’s decision to slash nearly 900 Metro bus services per week almost a year ago, which was initially labelled as ‘temporary’, has had a significant impact on the college.
“It was said at the time that school bus services would be immune from these cuts,” he said.
“But the Hobart College School Association has raised deep concerns about rampant unplanned cancellations, buses not running to schedule and students being turned away because buses are full.”
Transport Minister Eric Abetz acknowledged the issue, but blamed it on a driver shortage.
“The government repeatedly blames the national bus driver shortage for the cuts to Tasmanian bus services,” O’Byrne said.
“But private bus operators do not seem to have the same problem recruiting and retaining drivers.
“So it seems the problem lies with Metro and it is up to the responsible minister to work with Metro to find a solution.”
In a letter to Abetz, the Hobart College Association outlined the problems caused by Metro’s “ongoing service issues”.
“The Metro service issues include services not running to timetable, services subject to unplanned cancellation, services being over-subscribed and so not taking passengers later in the route and drivers unfamiliar with the route,” the letter said.
“The impacts of these issues are that students are late to class, miss classes altogether or are left stranded at bus stops or on campus.”
The association called on the government to prioritise Metro services for the college and allocate urgent funding to supplement any gaps in the Metro offering.
“Ministers, the Association calls on you firstly to immediately direct Metro to ensure that services for the College are given priority,” the letter said.
“Secondly, we call on you to allocate urgent funding to the College for the operation of the buses it already owns, to supplement any gaps in the Metro offering.”
Abetz said he would seek advice on the problems raised in the letter.
“What I can let you know is that I have had discussions with the chairman of the board, with the CEO of Metro, to see what can be done to get more drivers on board,” he said.
