All candidates standing in the Tasmanian state election are being asked to commit to fixing Tasmania’s government-owned bus operator, Metro Tasmania.

The Fix Metro Tasmania pledge is being organised by frontline transport workers through the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU).

RTBU Tasmanian Branch Secretary Byron Cubit today said the pledge would help voters to know which candidates supported better public transport, and which candidates did not.

“Tasmania’s transport networks are failing," Mr Cubit said. "Roads are becoming congested, and public transport services are both sporadic and unreliable.

“Research has shown that on a per capita basis, the Tasmanian Government spends less on public transport than any other State or Territory Government in Australia.

“This underfunding of public transport has led to a critical shortage of bus drivers, which in turn has led to a significant reduction in services.

“Combined with increased concern over violent and anti-social behaviour on buses, public confidence in the public transport system has collapsed.

“While there has been some progress in addressing these issues over the past years, the time has come for a step-change in the way that public transport is managed in Tasmania.

“Public transport workers want to see a genuine commitment from politicians to fix Metro Tas and to build a better public transport system for the benefit of all Tasmanians.”

The Fix Metro Tasmania pledge calls on candidates to:

• Address the bus driver shortage by making Metro an employer of choice;
• Keep public transport in public hands;
• Make public transport safer and more accessible for all; and
• Improving transparency and accountability in public transport.

The full text of the pledge is available on the campaign website https://www.rtbu.org.au/fixmetro .

The website will also be updated daily with the names of candidates who sign the pledge.