1996/97 STATE TRANSIT ANNUAL REPORT
Other Reporting Requirements of a Statutory Authority
For the year ended 30 June 1997
Disability Plans
State Transit has a Disability Strategic Plan under Section 9 of the Disability Services Act 1993 to ensure accessible public transport. Progress in this area for 1996/97 includes:-
- improved the accessibility of the bus fleet:-
- 90 low floor buses were added to the fleet, for a total of 108 low floor buses (6.6%),
- of these low floor buses, 10 are fitted with ramps to ensure easy access for wheelchairs, and
- 90 new buses were added to the fleet with improved features for the disabled, including yellow grab handles, clearly marked areas on the floor, firmer rails on the doors and priority seating.
- introduced the first fully accessible bus service to the St George area,
- placed ramps at Mosman wharf to ensure access for the disabled and trialed wider gangways for ferries,
- improved gang planks at Newcastle wharves to provide better access,
- improved passenger information to meet the needs of the disabled,
including extracts of timetables in large print for particular routes and the introduction of an Internet Home Page,
- worked with local councils to improve roadside infrastructure on accessible routes, including kerb heights,
- completed the development of a staff training program on accessibility awareness, including the needs of disabled customers, and
- liaised with disability peak bodies to ensure accessible services are introduced in the most appropriate areas.
Ethnic Affairs Priorities Statements and Ethnic Affairs Agreements
State Transit will forward its 1997 Ethnic Affairs Priority Statement to the Ethnic Affairs Commission early in the 1997/98 year.
Key initiatives which were implemented in 1996/97 included:
- commencing a review of all human resources policies, including consideration of the equity and diversity impacts of each policy,
- completing research for the Women In Transport Taskforce,
- implementing a new Carer's Leave Policy, allowing for greater compatibility between work and personal responsibilities,
- completing Organisational Climate and Work & Family staff surveys,
- recognising ethnic and cultural diversity, and the value of overseas qualifications, through regular articles in in-house publications,
- marketing services through the ethnic media, and
- providing access for all employees to the Equity/Diversity Management Plan.
Issues within the Ethnic Affairs Priority Statement which will be addressed in 1997/98, or in a staged manner from the coming year, include:
- creating a record of employees with community language skills, and investigating better ways of using these skills to benefit the organisation, its staff and customers,
- assessing the need for English language training for NESB employees, and providing training where necessary,
- ensuring that State Transit's proposed new Human Resources Information System accommodates better, more complete EEO information,
- fully addressing the needs of NESB employees in the Induction and Orientation Program,
- placing job advertisements in the Koori media,
- improving the provision of service information for NESB customers,
- implementing further programs to ensure a discrimination and harassment free workplace, such as the Contact Officer Network and an audio tape for all staff on discrimination and harassment prevention,
- extending informal arrangements at various depots into a pilot program to provide religious retreat space, and
- reviewing all safety and other signage to optimise its clarity to NESB employees and customers.
Government Funding and Social Programs
Total Government funding for 1996/97 was $150.5 million, $11.5 million higher than 1995/96. This increase was due to increases in patronage which in turn increase concession payments and the pricing CSO payment as these are paid on a per passenger basis. Government funding consists of:-
- Concessional and Free Travel
Concession reimbursements are payments from Government which make up the balance of fares where a concession has been allowed as a result of Government's social policies. For example, in the case of pensioners, the traveller pays $1 and the Government pays the balance of the full fare. Concessions are paid both to State Transit and private operators. State Transit's reimbursement is estimated based on projected patronage levels for the following year, while for half fare concessions, private operators claim the loss for providing half fares, based on actual sales each quarter. The relevant categories included under State Transit's concession program are:-
- pensioners and retired senior citizens,
- school students,
- tertiary students,
- unemployed,
- blind civilians, and
- other welfare recipients.
In 1996/97 the reimbursement under this program amounted to $111.4 million compared to $102.6 million in 1995/96. Total subsidies and grants for private operators of taxis, buses and ferries were in excess of $300 million in 1996/97.
- Service Level Community Service Obligation
The social program payment for non commercial services is a payment made by Government to reimburse State Transit for operating a number of services that are not commercially justifiable by normal industry benchmarks. As part of this payment, State Transit's Parramatta River service and the Stockton ferry in Newcastle are deficit funded to a level of $5.4 million. Bus services in the Sydney area do not receive any funding for non commercial services. Funding for non commercial services amounted to $14.1 million compared to $16.3 million in 1995/96.
- Pricing Community Service Obligation
The social program payment for non commercial fares is a payment made by Government in recognition of the fact that State Transit's fares (which are regulated by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal) are held below commercial fare levels charged by the most efficient private sector operators. While State Transit's single ride tickets reflect commercial fares, the pricing on State Transit's multi-trip and multi-modal tickets offer a significant discount at the direction of Government. Funding for this area amounted to $24.9 million in 1996/97 compared to $20.1 million in 1995/96.
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| Social Program |
Type of Program |
Funding 1996/97 |
Proposed
Funding
$000
1997/98 |
Social Objective |
| |
|
|
|
|
1. Free & Concessional travel
|
Subsidised price concession to groups in Sydney and Newcastle as a result of defined Government social policies. |
|
|
|
|
|
57,546 |
68,149 |
2,3,5,6,7,8 |
| |
|
27,317 |
27,570 |
4,7,8 |
|
|
26,567 |
23,461 |
1,2,3,5,6,7 |
| |
|
|
|
|
2. Pricing CSO
|
Subsidised price concession to compensate for fares being set below commercial private sector levels. |
24,895 |
29,990 |
1,5,6 |
| |
|
|
|
|
3. Service CSO*
|
Subsidised operations to compensate for operating a number of services which are not commercially justifiable by normal industry benchmarks. |
14,144 |
12,199 |
1,5,6,7 |
| |
|
|
|
|
Total Funding
|
|
150,469
|
161,369
|
|
* Note State Transit does not receive a service CSO for any bus services in Sydney.
| State Transit provides a performance report to the Department of Transport on request to enable social program contracts to be monitored. |
| Social objectives are:- |
|
| 1: Employment opportunities & income security |
5: Environmental quality |
| 2: Health maintenance |
6: Social & recreational functioning |
| 3: Access to mobility for target groups |
7: Individual safety |
| 4: Access to education |
8: Self sufficiency & freedom of choice |
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