The lack of HGV and bus drivers in all developed countries (as it's a
universally terrible job) is causing SIGNIFICANT investment in
autonomous driving systems. I suspect this lack of labour will drive
automation past any public objections. Either accept automated trucks and
buses, or have no food, consumer goods or public transport. (Or pay
significantly more for goods and services).
A similar thing is happening in the farm sector where no one wants to be a
seasonal crop picker at the rates offered. If the workers are paid more,
food costs more. The market has spoken, and the public wants cheaper food.
Robot slaves are the only path forward and significant R&D is occurring.

The only other 'solution' currently being attempted by multiple 'advanced
economies' is to import cheap workers from 3rd world countries looking for
a 'better life'. They don't last long - they acclimatise and then go look
for a better job. Multiple countries are competing for these cheap workers
too.

On Tue, 12 Sept 2023 at 05:52, TP historyworks@...> wrote:

> I believe Newcastle wanted to take the Rs/R1s from Sydney when Sydney

> finished with them. That would have been some tram system if it happened.

>

> Tony P

>

> On Tuesday, 12 September 2023 at 13:23:05 UTC+10 Tony Galloway wrote:

>

>>

>> On 11 Sep 2023, at 22:11, TP histor...@...> wrote:

>>

>> Brisbane is the only city-run operation in Australia.

>>

>> Brisbane is the only capital with a single city-wide council.

>>

>> Newcastle also has a city-wide council and wanted to take over the state

>> government run trams and buses, and retain and modernise the trams, after

>> WW2, but the state government knocked them back.

>>

>> Earlier the council lobbied hard for the Newcastle tramway to be

>> electrified, partly achieved in 1923. Otherwise it would have most likely

>> suffered the same fate as the Maitland and Broken Hill tramways, which

>> closed in 1926 along with Arncliffe-Bexley and the remnant government line

>> at Parramatta.

>>

>> Tony

>>

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