Bus and Tram Express
Bus and Tram Express

Media Release: Driverless shuttle launch insulting after years of service cuts

Nov 22, 2019Uncategorized

The launch of driverless shuttles over the Supercars weekend is being touted as a step into the future, but the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) NSW says its merely the council sinking money into unsafe and inefficient gimmicks.

RTBU Tram and Bus Divisional President Daniel Jaggers said the profound safety concerns of autonomous vehicles are being roundly ignored.

“Newcastle City Council is flaunting its shiny new toy while ignoring the very real danger these shuttles present to the community,” said Mr Jaggers.

“Autonomous vehicles have no capacity to make life-saving decisions. Only human drivers can assess conditions and potential hazards, reacting in a split second to keep their passengers safe.

“A supervising operator with a remote control, which is what these shuttles have, is not good enough. This is only the first step – we know the future of autonomous vehicles means the loss of real, skilled jobs.

“We don’t need autonomous shuttles. We need lost routes restored and high-capacity, reliable services that serve the public. The public has said time and again: we need more transport services.”

Click here to download the full media release.

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