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[NSW] Opal Machines Turned off on Transit Systems Buses in West and Inner West Sydney (Bus Regions 3 & 6)

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[NSW] Opal Machines Turned off on Transit Systems Buses in West and Inner West Sydney (Bus Regions 3 & 6)
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niknah on 21/11/2021 - 20:59 twunsw.org.au (935 clicks)
Last edited 22/11/2021 - 11:04 by 2 other users

Opal machines turned off on Transit Systems buses in regions 3 & 6. Private bus operator Transit Systems runs the two regions, which service Parramatta, Liverpool and Fairfield as well as the entire inner west. But a Transit Systems spokeswoman said they anticipated many of the services would keep their Opal readers on for the day.

Bus drivers in Regions 3 and 6 of Sydney’s bus network voted convincingly in favour of taking action, with 97% and 92% voting in favour of taking action respectively. The votes allow drivers to take a range of industrial actions, including displaying union materials on buses, turning off Opal card readers and strike action.

For 24 hours on Monday…

Travel Payment System Sydney Buses Ticket

Related Stores

Transport Workers' Union of NSW
Transport Workers' Union of NSW
Opal Card - NSW Government
Opal Card - NSW Government
Transport for NSW
Transport for NSW

closed Comments

  • kiriakoz on 21/11/2021 - 21:03
    +22

    Oh wow. That's my local area. I haven't been on a bus since Covid but I might have to now.

    • dasher86 on 21/11/2021 - 22:47
      +9

      So free Covid?

      • barg99 on 22/11/2021 - 07:45

        lol

      • kiriakoz on 22/11/2021 - 18:16

        It’s been almost 2 years bro, I don’t think I’m being some kind of reckless crackpot, do you? I am vaxxed and I’ll was cautious. What’s your suggestion? That I never ride a bus again.

        • dasher86 on 22/11/2021 - 18:17

          relax it was a joke.
          it was just funny that it being free was the reason you would ride the bus again.

      • whyisave on 22/11/2021 - 21:36

        Free tour bus around Sydney

  • Kenji123 on 21/11/2021 - 21:09
    +2

    ok, I am from regions 7 Ryde depot, just wanna tell anyone all STA bus drivers don't care you pay or not !!!

    • odysseus on 21/11/2021 - 21:22
      +9

      The drivers don't - that's why they have revenue inspectors who do…

      • dbmitch on 21/11/2021 - 23:56
        +5

        They're paid to drive, not to get knocked out by some drunken idiot, so I say the drivers ar doing the right thing.

    • yasirfarabi on 22/11/2021 - 00:11
      +1

      Me too. From Ryde

  • Islelone on 21/11/2021 - 21:09
    +7

    Going to make believe that I’m traveling abroad and on those hop on hop off tourist buses….

    • tdw on 21/11/2021 - 21:33
      +3

      don't forget to bring your huge dslr and take pictures of everything

      • Zackeroo on 21/11/2021 - 21:35
        +4

        huge dslr

        obviously bought from a previous OzBargain deal

      • nosytt on 21/11/2021 - 22:19

        I read that as huge dsl and yeah

      • hopper on 21/11/2021 - 22:27

        And a hat

    • battler on 21/11/2021 - 21:20
      +10

      That is a sensationalist comment with no factual evidence.
      Did you do any research before typing that nonsense?

      • mangoed on 21/11/2021 - 23:21
        +4

        The logic here is probably "the bus drivers turn the card readers off ➡ less fares collected ➡ the losses need to be compensated somehow ➡ fares increase".

        Or maybe "drivers demand higher wages ➡ government needs more money to pay them ➡ fares increase".

        But anyway, the public transport fares are increased pretty regularly to reflect inflation, so it's definitely coming, the only question is "when".

        • ter on 22/11/2021 - 07:20
          +1

          The 2nd logic.

      • ter on 22/11/2021 - 07:22
        -1

        It happens, happened and will happen.
        This act accelerates the process.

  • Vote for Pedro on 21/11/2021 - 21:24
    +37

    Privatise profits, socialise losses. Welcome to capitalism 101

      • Vote for Pedro on 21/11/2021 - 22:31
        +11

        Leave the kool-aid alone champ

        • dbmitch on 21/11/2021 - 23:58
          +1

          Why do they always have to give out a specific year lol "Australia was good before XXXX"

    • MrThing on 21/11/2021 - 22:41
      +20

      public transport isnt there to make money (or at least it shouldn't)

      it should be there to provide an essential service in the most safe and efficient manner whilst being cost efficient for the end user (the tax / rate payer)

      • Vote for Pedro on 21/11/2021 - 22:45
        +13

        And private companies shouldn’t be running them for profit. The profit has to come from somewhere. Skimping on maintenance, cleaning or just screwing workers helps keep the shareholders happy.

        • MrThing on 21/11/2021 - 22:47
          +10

          that's why privatisation of essential services is a bad idea as with any private business there is someone who is running the business for profit otherwise, why else would you do it?

          the government isn't providing services to make a profit, its running a service to provide the essential service for the community / tax payer / rate payer

          • Natsui on 21/11/2021 - 23:17
            +1

            @MrThing: (and those services pay for themselves indirectly, both in social good and economic return)

            • lancesta on 22/11/2021 - 06:59
              +1

              @Natsui: It's a hard thing to measure. And sure you could say it doesn't matter if we measure it. But deciding on new bus routes and frequency of buses relies on measurable attributes like use of buses or population in the area that take buses.

              Completely agree with the sentiment though, we should make public transport as easy as possible. If it means subsidising it then great.

    • greatlamp on 22/11/2021 - 01:55
      +3

      The drivers are on strike because NSW wants to privatise their jobs, where they will inevitably be treated as a business expense to be squeezed until they quit, so new drivers can be hired on lower salaries.

      Workers striking for fair wages doesn't really seem to fit "Capitalism 101", but what will happen if they don't strike - will

      • Kenji123 on 22/11/2021 - 04:50

        regions 3 & 6.Already privatising

        • lancesta on 22/11/2021 - 07:02
          +1

          Newcastle buses already privatised and run by Keolis Downer. Plenty of complaints about the changes to routes, only good thing they did is reduce the numbers to two instead of 3 and looking back if really made no difference, school buses are still 3 digits. The frequency is worse than it was too, end on their most popular bus route.

      • Vote for Pedro on 22/11/2021 - 08:48
        +2

        Capitalism 101 referred to the practice of privatising profits and socialising losses.

  • RoseJJ on 21/11/2021 - 21:47

    Let me know how you go. In the news, it said they expect most Opal machine will still be on…

  • mountaineer on 21/11/2021 - 22:16
    +2

    If the government is half less corrupt as they are, for both LNP and labor, to invest more for the frontline workers and the buses, the state will be much better. The bus I was travelling the other day, without any rain, was leaking terribly from the roof, like waterfall, the driver came to apologise, even not his fault at all… . It is time to clear the state government and hold these corrupted accountable much hasher and quicker…not like this https://www.smh.com.au/national/obeid-family-keeps-tainted-m…, and this https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/nov/01/how-d…

  • jbird84 on 21/11/2021 - 22:23
    +12

    Good. hope the workers get everything they ask for.

    • HangryCakeStore on 21/11/2021 - 23:02
      -3

      I thought bus drivers are already well payed?

      • greatlamp on 22/11/2021 - 01:59
        +3

        Exactly, they want to continue to be well paid. The government is planning to privatise the network

        • HangryCakeStore on 22/11/2021 - 05:38

          I'd agree but I've never had real good bus service, from/since the old school days

        • lancesta on 22/11/2021 - 07:09
          +3

          I once blacked out on a bus, ran up the hill to catch it, took out my pass, scanned it, then stood in the corridor and my vision went away so I sat down on the floor. The bus went up the road to the next stop, I still didn't feel great so I decided to go home.

          The bus driver went to my school and make sure to report it and see if I was okay. Took hours out of their life to make sure I wasn't hurt and everything was okay. She did my route pretty much daily, know it's a bit random but I never saw them again, have a lot of respect for that person.

  • MinifiguresAU on 21/11/2021 - 22:34
    +7

    Good opportunity to pick up those free click and collect orders.

  • browser on 21/11/2021 - 22:40
    -5

    What if someone needed that trip to be counted in weekly cap so they can save from more expensive trips later in the week?

    • Crow K on 21/11/2021 - 22:45
      +6

      IKR, those of us missing out on our $5 Monday trip won't be getting our $1,000 Friday trip at half price.

      • browser on 21/11/2021 - 23:36
        +1

        Forgot there's no more free trips, it's only half price. Would have been $1,000 saving otherwise.

    • yaziyo on 21/11/2021 - 23:13
      +3

      You'll live.

    • browser on 21/11/2021 - 23:34
      +3

      I guess another way to look at this is that turning off the reader is better than not driving the bus, that would cause more havoc.

  • orangetrain on 21/11/2021 - 22:46
    +5

    Damn, opal users will save money, small businesses along the route will get more customers and no risk of ticket inspector payouts from assaults/injuries on riders and less toll users! TURN IT BACK ON. WE CANT STAND COMMUNISM./s

  • Almost Banned on 21/11/2021 - 23:04
    -1

    How is this different from a retail store employee telling customers they can just walk out with the product?
    It sounds like theft, smells like theft, and is theft.

    • cheesecactus on 21/11/2021 - 23:17
      -2

      Agreed, in past strikes elsewhere in the country i dont think theyd ever turned the machines off. I would imagine they could face repercussions for doing that.

      In the past i think they've just verbally encouraged people to not tap on or something. Harder to prove the drivers have done anything wrong. Although if an inspector got on, im not sure what would happen….

    • Cheapskate Paul on 21/11/2021 - 23:27

      It's different because the action would be protected industrial action approved by the Fair Work Commission.

    • greatlamp on 22/11/2021 - 02:00
      +3

      The alternative is not showing up to work at all. Both options mean no fares are collected, but in this case drivers are going out of their way to not punish those who rely on public transport

      • Almost Banned on 22/11/2021 - 12:43
        -1

        Not showing up for work would presumably also mean not incurring the same operating costs the fares partially defray.

  • jimmy380 on 21/11/2021 - 23:56
    +8

    I'm from Leichhardt Depot and managment told us that we would lose 32% of our pay if we participated in this as they calculated that taking fares is considered 32% of our job apparently, thus the number of drivers who participate in this might be low…

    • Cheapskate Paul on 22/11/2021 - 00:39
      +6

      Your employer would need to be able to show that you actually spend 32% of your time taking fares. I was a city bus driver many years ago and I would be surprised if I spent 5% of my time taking fares. What does your union say about this?

      • jimmy380 on 22/11/2021 - 09:54
        +2

        Seems like they already got legal advice as they're pretty certain - we stopped taking cash fares a while ago so I don't know how watching people tap their opal cards is 32% of our job… Union is taking it to the fair work commission so might take a while :L

    • Grazz989 on 22/11/2021 - 15:42
      +2

      I hope those management guys walk in front of a bus.

  • jamessong on 22/11/2021 - 01:09
    +2

    Thanks, bought 5

  • PainToad on 22/11/2021 - 06:31
    -8

    Why aren’t they being arrested? If Kmart workers took “industrial action” by turning off the registers and letting people walk out without paying they’d be charged, why are public servants always treated like untouchables?

    • Lord Fart Bucket on 22/11/2021 - 06:58
      +4

      KMart would just be closed. The service of moving people from A to B still happens, and it NEEDS to happen. Some people rely on a bus service to get to work, medical appointments, etc. This is a way for the drivers to draw attention to their cause, as they fear that privatisation may cause reduced service.

      • lancesta on 22/11/2021 - 07:12
        +4

        Pretty sure the gov has used this exact reason as an excuse to force them not to do industrial action, so it's really the best of both worlds. They're still running the service. The alternative is not running the service.

        Edit: from the site also "The TWU has given an undertaking that industrial action will not disrupt HSC students during their exam period"

    • [Deactivated] on 22/11/2021 - 07:48

      Buses have been privatised

  • [Deactivated] on 22/11/2021 - 07:41
    +1

    Free Bus rides

  • oblueknighto on 22/11/2021 - 07:52
    +1

    Interesting. My area is included, maybe I could save a few bucks on the opal fare… if I took the bus.

  • eDust on 22/11/2021 - 09:47

    Central station opal machines were off this morning. Don't know if it's related to the bus drivers.

  • life is suffering on 22/11/2021 - 13:23

    Also remember regardless of operation or not the stupid company that made this whole system gets paid by NSW govt so it's our tax dollars!!

    • orangetrain on 22/11/2021 - 16:18

      I believe the LNP was responsible for the change to 100% paid by taxpayers. It used to be paid by NSW government with extra on top as charged by private companies.

      This socialist change by LNP was because the rich did not like the free market. You see, a lot of rich class complained they were charged more on Eastern suburbs by private companies running public transport. Now, poor and rich pay the same.

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