Uber buses: the Transport Minister is dreaming
Bus passengers in Sydney’s inner west may be able to summon smaller vehicles to pick them up on demand, according to Andrew Constance’s latest vision for a franchised bus operation in the area.
But the bus union has rubbished the idea, saying on-demand buses are a fanciful notion for the inner city.
RTBU Bus Division Secretary Chris Preston dismissed Mr Constance’s idea.
“He is fanciful if he thinks he’s going to be able to create this Uber-style transportation for buses,” Mr Preston said.
He said councils in Sydney’s north already ran loop buses and these often ran with few passengers.
“Whenever you don’t have somebody in your bus and you are driving and your wheels are moving, that is an expense,” Mr Preston said.
“If he thinks he can run a network on demand and it is going to make money, and it is not going to be a burden for the taxpayer, he’s laughable.”