Over 30 TransDev Buses Decommisioned Due to Safety Violations
Following Monday’s launch of DontGiveAwayTheMBTA.org — a public awareness campaign taking aim at the performance records of for-profit companies, such as TransDev and MV Transportation, that the Baker administration is eyeing to take control of core maintenance and safety work on MBTA buses — comes a story from the Herald Sun reporting that Melbourne has been forced to take over 30 buses managed by TransDev off of roadways due to safety concerns.
The Sun reports that private contractor, TransDev, is responsible for operating 30 percent of Melbourne’s bus fleet. Following routine inspections by VicRoads earlier in the month, the company took 33 buses off the road due to safety violations.
The director of Transport Safety Victoria told reporters, “We will continue to work closely with TSV to assess the remainder of our fleet for any defects, as well as any issues with our maintenance procedures.”
TransDev, which is one of several private companies bidding on MBTA bus maintenance contracts has a long history of underperforming on an international scale. The company, which has managed bus operations for Boston Public Schools since 2013, has a record marred by safety violations, delays, and labor management disputes right here in Boston. So why would we trust them to manage MBTA operations?