- Published:
- Sunday 1 April 2018
The Andrews Labor Government has begun overhauling the contracts for Melbourne’s bus network to improve services and put passengers first.
Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan today announced the Labor Government has signed new contracts with three metropolitan bus operators, which make up around two thirds of the services to be recontracted.
Ventura, CDC Victoria and Donric have partnered with the Government on the new performance-based contracts which will drive better services for passengers.
More than 117 million trips are taken on Melbourne’s extensive bus network every year, with the industry supporting more than 4,500 local jobs.
The new contracts provide more flexibility to improve and expand services where they are needed most.
The contracts also emphasise on-time running and customer service, to provide passengers with a more professional and reliable service.
The Cornwall family (trading as Ventura) has been operating bus services since 1924, growing from a single route between Box Hill and Melbourne CBD to become Victoria’s largest bus operator.
Donric, another local family-operated business, has been delivering bus services in and around Sunbury and Diggers Rest since the early 1980s.
CDC Victoria began providing bus services in 2009 to passengers in the inner-east and western suburbs of Melbourne and the Greater Cities of Ballarat and Geelong.
The new bus contracts begin 1 July 2018 and will run for 10 years if the operators meet strict performance targets.
Contract negotiations with the remaining metropolitan bus operators are progressing as planned and are expected to be finalised before the contracts expire in June 2018.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan
“We are modernising, expanding and upgrading Melbourne’s extensive bus network to deliver better services for passengers.”
“Our new metropolitan bus contracts put passengers at the centre of bus service design and delivery.”
“It’s great to see both small and large operators working with us on these new contracts that put passengers first.”