,! ,l VICTORIA TRANSPORT REGULATION BOARD ANNUAL REPORT I FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30TH JUNE, 1979. PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE TRANSPORT REGULATION ACT Ordered by the Legislative Assembly to be printed. MELBOURNE F. D. ATKINSON, GOVERNMENT PRINTER 1979 No. 34 ".. t Cnr. Lygon and Princes Streets Carlton 3053 The Honorable Robert Maclellan, M.L.A., Minister of Transport Melbourne 3000 Dear Mr. Minister, We have pleasure in submitting to you for presentation to Parliament in accordance with the provisions of Section 14 of the Transport Regulation Act the Annual Report of the Board for the year ended 30th June, 1979. The Report highlights the more significant aspects of the work performed by the Board and personnel of this Administration during the year. Yours faithfully .• A. V. C. COOK, Chairman. P. R. HOCKING, Member. K. P. SHEA, Member. C. J. V. SMITH, Secretary . I '- BOARD K. P. Shea A. V. C. Cook P. R. Hocking (Member) (Chairman) (Member) SECRETARIAT Secretary C. J. V. Smith Deputy Secretary W. R. Key Assistant Secretary (Administration) R. G. Jacobs Assistant Secretary (Operations) T. H. Nougher EXECUTIVE OFFICERS Accounts P. L. Golden Administrative Services J. W. J. Larman Costing and Financial Analysis G. V. Smithwick Goods Services J. H. Pimm Passenger Services F. B. Lindsay Planning and Research J. V. Vucic Road Charges A. M. McPherson Technical and Field Services M. Stewart REGIONAL OFFICERS East Gippsland Region (Bairnsdale) N. F. McOuinn Central Highlands Region (Ballarat) A. L. Stott Loddon Region (Bendigo) R. V. Wood Barwon Region (Geelong) J. F. Humphrey Glenelg Region (Hamilton) A. A. Blaby Wimmera Region (Horsham) L. W. Hoare Mallee Region (Mildura) G. W. Lindsay Gippsland Region (Morwell) M. D. Ouinn Upper Goulburn Region (Seymour) P. Martin Goulburn Region (Shepparton) W. J. Hoey Corangamite Region (Warrnambool) R. C. McDonald Upper Murray Region (Wodonga) R. H. Pitcher PROFESSIOI\IAL OFFICERS Legal J. R. Connell Engineer- Vehicle Safety and Design J. Middlehurst CONTENTS Page LEGISLATION ADMINISTERED 9 YEAR IN REVIEW New and Amending Legislation Magistrates' (Interstate Enforcement) Act 1978 10 Commercial Goods Vehicles Act- Part 11 .. 10 Important Developments Road Maintenance Contributions Scheme 10 Applications for Discretionary Licences .. 10 Study into Freight and Passenger Transport in Victoria 11 Changes to the Structure and Functions of the Board 11 Administration of Passenger Transport Activities .. 12 Personnel Employed by the Board 12 Goods Transport Regional Freight Centres .. 12 Victorian Sawmillers Association 13 Transportation of the Grain Harvest 13 S.E.C. Loy Yang Project 15 Tow Trucks Licence Applications 16 Operation and Control of Tow Trucks 16 Bus Transport Financial Assistance Scheme 17 Bus Fares 17 Concession Fares for Pensioners 17 Operating and Financial Information 17 Study of Fare Concessions, Fare Collection and Passenger Trends 18 Provision of Information on Services 18 Changes in Bus Services 18 Rationalisation of Private Bus Services 19 Public Transport in Developing Areas 19 Urban Bus Services 19 Replacement of Uneconomic Country Rail Passenger Services 19 Demand Responsive Bus Services 19 Community Bus Services 19 Airport Bus Service 19 Westgate Bridge 20 Interstate Bus Operators 20 New Croydon Modal Interchange 20 Bus Loading and Unloading Arrangements at V.F.L. Park 20 Charter Policy 20 Special Services for Hotel Patrons 20 Vintage Fire Engine 20 Driver Certificates 21 Private Omnibus 21 Taxis Licensing and Organisation of Melbourne Taxis 22 Depot Amalgamations 22 Taxi Fares 22 COI\JTENTS ·continued Page Taxis • continued Changeover to Liquid Petroleum Gas 22 Survey of Taxi Performance Data .. 22 Licensing of Station Sedans for Taxi Operation 23 New Hire Car Licences 23 Advertising on Taxis 23 Taxi Feeder Stands at Tullamarine Airport 23 Road Maintenance Contributions .. 24 Enforcement Carriage of Dangerous Goods 26 Bus Operations in Hazardous Areas 26 Investigations, Offences and Prosecutions Road Maintenance .. 27 Other 27 Vehicle Inspection and Safety Increased Attention to Road Safety 29 Annual Inspections 29 Vehicle Inspection Facilities 29 Inspection of Interstate Buses 29 Insecure Loading of Trucks 29 Speed Limits for Heavy Vehicles 29 Compulsory Fitment of Seat Belts in Buses 29 Safety Warning Fitments on School Buses 30 Prime Mover/Trailer Brake Compatability 30 Folding Seats in Buses 30 Street Closures and Construction of Traffic Roundabouts 30 Axle Loads 30 Energy Conservation and Fuel Costs 31 Conversion to LP. Gas from Petrol 31 Motor Boats 31 Finance Revenue 32 Expenditure 33 External Contact and Studies Annual Conference of Road Transport Authorities 34 Co-Operation with Departments and lnstrumentalities 34 Contact with Industry Organisations 34 Study and Survey Projects .. 34 Special Investigations with Consultants 34 Representation on External Committees 35 Administration 36 LICENSING Commercial Goods Vehicles Responsibility to License 36 As of Right Licences 36 K' Discretionary Licences 38 CONTENTS - continued Page Commercial Goods Vehicles - continued Tow Truck Licences 39 Country Services .. 41 Distribution of Goods Licences 43 Number of Goods Licences 44 Licence Fees 44 Discretionary Licence Fees 45 Permits 46 Commercial Passenger Vehicles Responsibility to License 48 Licensing Procedures 48 Types of Licences .. 48 Number of Passenger Vehicle Licences Issued 50 Licence Fees 51 Number of Operators, Licences and Routes 51 Country Services .. 52 Changes to Bus Services 57 Suburban Taxi Depots 59 APPENDICES ~ General Statistical Data 1 Revenue and Expenditure 60 2 Licence Fees Collected 62 3 Statement of Expenditure 64 4 Comparison of Fines, Costs and Convictions .. 66 5 Summary of Offence Reports .. 67 6 Motor Boat Registrations 68 7 Monthly Statistics· Metropolitan and Urban Bus Services 71 Summary of Uniform Financial Return Data 8 Industry 73 9 Metropolitan 74 10 Urban 76 11 Country 78 12 Metropolitan Charter 80 13 School Services 82 Taxis 14 Sample Taxi Survey 83 LEGISLATION ADMINISTERED THE TRANSPORT REGULATION ACT 1958 establishes the Board as a corporate body and gives it its charter, powers and duties in relation to the road transport industry. lt provides for commercial passenger vehicles to be licensed at the discretion of the Board and for private buses to be licensed. THE COMMERCIAL GOODS VEHICLES ACT 1958 provides for certain classes of goods vehicle licences to be issued "as-of-right" to applicants and for other applications to be granted or refused at the Board's discretion; this latter group includes tow trucks. Road maintenance contributions have been collected by the Board under powers conferred by the Commercial Goods Vehicles Act. All decisions of the Board for discretionary licences are subject to review by the Governor in Council where objection has been lodged or by the Minister where there is no objection. THE TRANSPORT CONSOLIDATED REGULATIONS 1977 complement the powers conferred by the Transport Regulation Act and the Commercial Goods Vehicles Act. THE MOTOR BOATING ACT 1961 requires the Board to maintain a register " of motor boats and to collect the registration fees payable by motor boat owners. The Board also collects stamp duty on new registrations and transfers as provided for in the Stamps Act 1958. OTHER LEGISLATION under which the Board has specific responsibilities:- Ministry of Transport Act 1958 Motor Car Act 1958 Motor Car Regulations 1966 Road Traffic Act 1958 Road Traffic Regulations 1973. 9 YEAR IN REVIEW NEW AND AMENDING LEGISLATION THE MAGISTRATES' (INTERSTATE legislation has become redundant. ENFORCEMENT) ACT 1978, designed to remove the loop-hole in the law which PART ll OF THE COMMERCIAL GOODS enabled interstate registered transport VEHICLES ACT 1958, was amended so that companies to evade payment of road contributions to road maintenance should maintenance contributions, was passed in not apply to/or in relation to the use on July 1978, and proclaimed in February 1979. public highways by any vehicle on or after With the abolition of road maintenance 1 July 1979. contributions on and after 1 July 1979, this IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS THE ROAD MAINTENANCE CONTRIBUT­ to make arrangements for payments to be IONS SCHEME in Victoria and in other made. This was reflected in a growth in States came under strong challenge during collections at that stage. April 1979 with the blockading of roads by truck operators, firstly in N.S.W. and then lt is possible that the effect of the new extending to other States. The level of legislation was substantially responsible for sub-contractor rates was also of particular the steps taken by some operators in April concern to those involved in the blockades. 1979, as it is not without significance that many of those involved had been practising In line with Governments of other States, avoidance based on "straw" company the Victorian Government gave an under­ operations. taking that the road maintenance scheme, which had been in operation since April The decision to abolish the scheme and the 1956, would not be applied to journeys passing of the Business Franchise (Petroleum undertaken by trucks on or after 1 July Products) Act 1979 has introduced a more 1979. equitable system of payment and perhaps this provides some consolation to those who lt was generally recognised that the scheme accepted the road maintenance legislation as had its deficiencies in maintaining an a matter of responsibility. equitable collection of charges across