Information obtained by the ACT Opposition shows the ACT Labor Government wastes $47,000 every weekday on ACTION buses with no passengers onboard. ACT Shadow Transport Services Minister Alistair Coe said for empty buses to travel for almost 20,000 kilometres every weekday is an utterly disgraceful misuse of taxpayer money.
“Due to ACT Labor’s mismanagement of the ACTION bus service, taxpayers are forking out over $12 million every year for empty buses which travel between depots and the start of routes,” Mr Coe said.
“This is $1 million every month for buses with no people in them. And instead of these figures improving, they’re getting worse.
“Empty ACTION buses now travel the equivalent of the earth’s equator every two days, and it’s an absurd and unnecessary waste of taxpayer money.
“This wasted $47,000 per weekday could be spent on improving the substandard bus system through better route services. In fact, the cost of dead running is about the same as purchasing a new bus every week.
“This is misuse of taxpayer money at its worst and comes down to basic management. You only have to look at shift rotations, route planning and where buses are able to fill up to see that this is an issue of ACT Labor’s making.
“Canberrans shouldn’t be paying $12 million a year for empty buses because ACT Labor can’t manage ACTION,” Mr Coe concluded.
Media Release: Alistair Coe MLA
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This page was last updated on 13 August 2022
