LETTER OF INTRODUCTION

The Tasmanian Bus Association (TasBus) has formed a wholly owned subsidiary company, TBA Services Pty Ltd, to provide commercial products and services to the Tasmanian passenger transport industry, including those previously provided through the Association itself. The Company will be expanding the products and services currently provided through batteries, tyres, flashing lights, signs, fire extinguisher servicing, shipping, etc.

TBA Services Pty Ltd will be compiling a catalogue of all products and services that will be available to operators shortly. Products and services will be available to all members of the passenger transport industry, although a generous discount will be provided to financial members of TasBus.

TBA Services Pty Ltd will be regularly informing passenger transport operators of new products and services available.  Operators who wish to receive no further correspondence from the Company are requested to tick the appropriate section of the attached form.

PUBLIC PASSENGER VEHICLE INSPECTIONS

TBA Services Pty Ltd has recently signed a contract with the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources (DIER) to provide public passenger vehicle inspections.

TBA Services Pty Ltd has appointed Mr. John Eustace as Senior Vehicle Examiner.  John comes to this position with 40 years experience in the heavy vehicle industry, with the last 27 years as a Transport Inspector for DIER.

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The Company will be providing vehicle testing services only and will not be undertaking any repairs on vehicles at any time.

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The following classes of vehicle inspections will be undertaken:

(a)        TYPE 2

Periodic taxi, luxury hire cars and small public passenger vehicle inspections.  Defect notices which are nominated on the notice to be cleared by an AIS.

(b)        TYPE 3

Periodic large public passenger vehicle inspection.  Defect notices requiring “brake testing” which are nominated to be cleared by an AIS.

(c)                 TYPE 4

Heavy vehicle, trailer, private buses, hire and drive vehicles (greater than 4.5 tonnes GVM/GTM).  Defect notices requesting” brake testing” which are nominated to be cleared by an AIS.

Effective Monday 7 May 2007, TBA Services Pty Ltd will be providing this service to the passenger transport industry throughout Tasmania.

Fees are as per schedule circulated recently by DIER.  Should you require a copy of this circular please contact TasBus office.

TBA Services Pty Ltd has acquired a portable brake testing unit that is required for Class 3 and 4 inspections.  The unit will be utilised on a regular basis in Devonport, Launceston and Hobart and will be travelling to remote areas on a regular six monthly basis in timing with previous DIER vehicle testing.

Operators who wish to contact the Company office to register their interest in availing themselves of the vehicle testing being undertaken by the Company may wish to complete the attached form and return as soon as practicable to enable scheduling of testing to an area. 

All information gathered from operators and held by TBA Services will be in accordance with the Privacy Act 1088 (Cwlth) and the Personal Information Protection Act 2004 (Tas).

The attached form is available at the TasBus website www.tasbus.com.au and we would encourage operators with electronic facilities to reply via email to assist the Company in providing a seamless booking service for now and to the future.

The Directors of the TasBus have formed the subsidiary company expressly with the aim of providing a high standard of service to the industry in vehicle inspections and to ensure the industry is not subjected to the vagrancies that may apply if passenger vehicle inspections were performed outside of our industry.

If you have any queries at any time please contact the Company office at any time.

Yours sincerely

Geoff Lewis

General Manager