Re: V/Line Pass Fires the Boss!

[mauried@tpg.com.au (Maurie Daly)]

On Mon, 18 Dec 2000 19:47:22 +1100, "Rod [comtrain]"
<freight_man@hotmail.com> wrote:

>European Shareholders very unhappy with $8 million dollar loss.
>Recent meeting of the major shareholders decided to wipe nearly 15 millions
>off V/Line Pass wages bill.
>Reports indicate about 50 mainly management types will be put off this
>Friday with 100 more as soon as they can be located, expressions of interst
>have been issued to all staff.
>Guess they will not let any drivers go, they cannot staff all the trains
>now!
>I think that this is the end of Passenger operations in this State, you
>cannot run a system without labour, and that is a fact.
>Anyone know How many People work for V/Line Pass? I thought it was about
>399, of which 120 were Drivers, but I am not sure this is right now!
>Rod
>
>

Why is this news surprising.?
No country rail passenger service in this country has ever run at a
profit.
When Vline pass was Govt run its costs were way above its revenues.
Simply privatizing the service wont change its profitability if the
same routes are run with the same trains and the staff are paid the
same salaries.
Its totally unrealistic to expect that country passenger rail services
will ever be profitable, thats why its called public transport.

MD