Advocacy and Policy

Public transport, in addition to providing significant social and environmental benefits, plays a key role easing city congestion, thereby boosting individual and economical productivity. We advocate for the recognition of public transport’s economic benefits, along with the inclusion of these in future infrastructure funding assessment.

Australia’s fuel security and the impact of fuel prices on household budgets. The role that public transport can play in providing a cheaper alternative to cars and in reducing the overall fuel use of Australians.

Policy development related to vehicle technology and the uptake of alterative fuels and energy, such as hydrogen and electric powered buses.

The development of local, state and federal frameworks for investing in our transport networks.

The challenges of a sedentary and ageing population, plus the impacts on health of people using public transport and active travel.

APTIA, our industrial relations arm, facilitates the connectivity of a broad sector of bus and coach operations through the discussion and resolution of industrial relations issues, seeking unity of purpose in decision making. APTIA monitors arising industrial relations matters, including modern award interpretation (such as transition provisions, minimum engagements, flexibility and dispute resolution).

The issue of how buses and public transport fit into city and local level plans is an increasingly important one, recognised within transport and town planning as key to facilitating equitable and sustainable growth in our major cities and regional centres.

In 2014, the BIC formed the Parliamentary Friendship Group for Better Cities, a significant strategic partnership, incorporating and advocating in the land use planning and transport integration areas.

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) offers cost effective, environmentally beneficial and high-performance mass transit, where population density often does not justify the construction of costly fixed rail systems and the need for greater flexibility in route mapping is better served by wheel-to-road transport systems.

Key features of BRT systems include:

• segregated bus ways or bus-only roadways predominantly in the median of the roadway
• existence of an integrated network of routes and corridors
• enhanced stations that are convenient, comfortable, secure and weather protected
• special stations and terminals to facilitate easy physical integration between trunk and feeder systems and other mass transit systems where they exist
• improvements to nearby public space
• low emissions and noise vehicle technologies
• signal priority or grade separation at intersections.

Buses remain the safest mode of road transport in Australia. This is largely due to the operation of buses by certified drivers, the size and weight of buses (such that each passenger experiences less crash force), and lower average speed, particularly in urban route environments.

The bus industry is committed to safety: We carry the most precious resource in the world – people.

We work closely with governments, manufacturers, and the travelling public to ensure the safety of passengers and other road users is paramount, and that operating practice reflects this commitment to safety.

Safety measures adopted since 1989 include:

• the implementation of ADR 59/00 and 68/00, resulting in buses and coaches having the structural integrity required to survive the unlikely event of a rollover and being fitted with seat belts
• the adoption of higher levels of safety and management performance through state-based industry accreditation schemes
• a reduction in the average age of the fleet resulting in safety improvements across the fleet
• addressed the issue of bus safety features being introduced well ahead of regulation and Australian Design Rules
• the adoption of bus industry safe practice guidelines that set bus and coach safety standards for issues such as passenger door safety, bus school light national standards, fire mitigation and fire evacuation and driver safety training
• innovative safety technology on buses such as driver alert systems and driver fatigue monitoring, alcohol locks, geofencing, passenger seat belt monitoring, lane departure warning systems, autonomous emergency braking systems, CCTV back to base monitoring and vehicle location, ABS / EBS and ESC / ECAS and tyre-pressure monitoring systems …to name just a few
• a nationally consistent approach to bus/coach-based maintenance and safety management systems – Advisories include: Tyre Safety, Door Safety and Bus Fire Mitigation
• participation in the development and delivery of school bus safety awareness programs

We support of initiatives that improve the overall safety performance of the bus industry and reduce accidents involving buses or coaches.

Social inclusion is a by-product of good policies related to public transport, land use planning and economics. It’s a key issue in regional areas where a lack of access to transport can cause social isolation. We undertake research and policy development to improve public transport in regional towns and rural areas.

Advocacy and policy development on vehicle technical issues are a core service that we provide for our members. As a confederation formed between bus manufacturers and operators, we play an important role in being the clearing house on vehicle design trends and the impacts of changes to vehicle standards and regulation on the operations side of the industry.