It may be worth reposting this reply from 'The man on the inside' which I posted quite some weeks ago.
"The comment about the PTV creating the timetable is true only for Melbourne’s bus services. Both Metro Trains and Yarra Trams have their own roster departments, so they create their schedules based on a specification from the PTV (who don’t have the resources to create train and tram schedules).
In relation to what vehicle types operate on which tram routes, these are determined by Yarra Trams based on loading surveys. If a route has high passenger counts that exceed certain levels (as determined by the PTV), either additional trips are provided (less likely) or higher capacity vehicles are used (more likely). For example, route 86 (Bundoora RMIT to Docklands) requires 30 vehicles on Weekdays (mostly B-class), but due to capacity issues at certain times, 4 E-class trams are scheduled for specific runs to address that issue (apparently, it can be a bit of a juggling act to slot them in to match the demand in both peaks – all 4 of the E-class trams stay out all day, not just during the peaks!)."
Regards,
> On 22 May 2017, at 6:12 pm,prescottt@... [TramsDownUnder] TramsDownUnder@...> wrote:
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> As I understand, Yarra Trams (like all Melbourne public transport) is under a typical operating contract, so PTV owns the assets, dictates the timetables and service conditions etc etc. So YT is merely the operating contractor to PTV. (Maybe they have additional responsibilities relating to infrastructure maintenance, I don't know.) Your description is thus correct. Services under these contracts are still "run" by the government, they just hire private contractors to do the on the ground operation following the agency's rules.
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> In WA buses and ferry are run on this basis. In NSW most urban bus and ferry services and all tram services (including those being newly established) in and between the three major cities are also run this way. The government directly operates only the suburban rail system (not including the metro which again is under an operating contract) and bus services in four (soon to be three) metropolitan operating regions.
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> Others would have to fill in the details for other states but I know that Adelaide buses are under operating contracts, while urban buses in SE Queensland (except Brisbane City Council buses) and GCLR are under operating contracts to Queenslnd DoT via Translink (happy to be corrected). I think with GCLR the tramcars are supplied by (and belong to?) the contractor and they may have infrastructure maintenance obligations (Richard?).
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> The operating contract is a very successful model, not least because everything is coordinated again, and is now almost universally used in preference to the earlier crude (Thatcherite) attempts at asset transfer and franchising. It's also more likely to protect jobs than the other methods. The fact that one union is concerned that its members will drift across to another union is not relevant as no loss of opportunity to belong to a union is involved.
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> Tony P
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> >[quote]
> I'm getting the impression that in Melbourne the trams are still to all intents and purposes run by the Govt. aka PTV and the private company seem to hire the employees and arrange the rosters. No doubt there is discussion on how to run each route but my understanding is that the PTV have the last say.
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