“I also want to say sorry. To train users, to people who got stuck on our roads, or couldn’t catch a tram, or those who paid ridiculous prices catching other transport.“You deserve better – and we won’t stop working until we deliver it.”
“Who’s going to the pay the compensation for the mums and dads that had to jump in a taxi or an Uber and get charged $100 to get to the childcare centre to pick up the kids?”
“The government has already made its view crystal clear. We expect a higher performance standard on the next round of contracts.“We have written those requirements into the tender documents.“There are mechanisms under the current contract that allow PTV to put a penalty on the operator.“But we want to go about strengthening the performance so these sorts of issues do not happen.”
“I think their behaviour exposed their approach to the way they treat people who use their services.“Taking advantage of people in a difficult circumstance is not a way to run the business.”
The outage, beginning at around 4pm yesterday, had some people take two-hour journeys to get home, and had flow-on affects on buses and trams. But it also gifted us this:
Melbourne is very Sydney right now: on fire and broken
— Patrick Lenton (@PatrickLenton) July 13, 2017
“Move down” screams the young dude, who is blocking the entire carriage
— Patrick Lenton (@PatrickLenton) July 13, 2017
People all around the carriage are bonding in a collective eye-roll at the self appointed sheriff of the tram
— Patrick Lenton (@PatrickLenton) July 13, 2017
“You can’t come in!” Screams a woman further down, in much the same way as someone might deny entry of a ghost into their child
— Patrick Lenton (@PatrickLenton) July 13, 2017
We hate them, because we were once them.
— Patrick Lenton (@PatrickLenton) July 13, 2017
A new society is born in the packed confines of the tram – the mayor, once a figure to be feared, is being openly mocked by a bearded youth
— Patrick Lenton (@PatrickLenton) July 13, 2017
The news is whispered – the trains are running again, the trains have stopped forever, the trains… never existed
— Patrick Lenton (@PatrickLenton) July 13, 2017
The tram trundles in the never ending darkness, it’s bell the tolling of a ship of the damned
— Patrick Lenton (@PatrickLenton) July 13, 2017
The mayor is thanking people for making room, but he is ignored. There are no laws anymore, just survival
— Patrick Lenton (@PatrickLenton) July 13, 2017
The mayor has left! There is spontaneous celebration on the tram!
— Patrick Lenton (@PatrickLenton) July 13, 2017
Everyone laughs and nods – we can forgive the mayor now. The bearded youth widens his stance, throws out another arm carelessly
— Patrick Lenton (@PatrickLenton) July 13, 2017
The city is behind us now, and the tram is quiet as we think of the fire and bloodshed we have escaped, the people we have left behind
— Patrick Lenton (@PatrickLenton) July 13, 2017
The next stop, dear readers, is mine – but perhaps I will not take it. Perhaps I will ride this tram with my new nomadic family forever
— Patrick Lenton (@PatrickLenton) July 13, 2017
Or perhaps I shall get out at the IGA and buy myself some spag bol ingredients.
— Patrick Lenton (@PatrickLenton) July 13, 2017
*whispers* ding ding… ding ding
— Patrick Lenton (@PatrickLenton) July 13, 2017
