Quarantine crisis deepens, 60,000 new cars stuck at sea and port

[kevino]

Two litre s per 100 km saving on hybrid.

15000 km a year at $2 litre the saving at two litres per 100 kms is $300
10000 km a year at $2 litre the savings at two litres per 100 km is $200

I can’t see the point as to why people get hung up on hybrids compared to a fuel efficient three or four cyl standard petrol

Again though the same people who lock onto Toyota lock onto hybrid and are hard to change

Heck a 3 cyl Polo is more fuel efficient than a hybrid on the highway and just behind on urban use note manual gearbox with fuel efficient driving technique.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by kevino

Two litre s per 100 km saving on hybrid.

15000 km a year at $2 litre the saving at two litres per 100 kms is $300
10000 km a year at $2 litre the savings at two litres per 100 km is $200

I can’t see the point as to why people get hung up on hybrids compared to a fuel efficient three or four cyl standard petrol

Again though the same people who lock onto Toyota lock onto hybrid and are hard to change

Heck a 3 cyl Polo is more fuel efficient than a hybrid on the highway and just behind on urban use note manual gearbox with fuel efficient driving technique.

Agreed, PHEV would be my next step or full EV.

[Citroënbender]

It’s good (in a way) to see biosecurity finally gaining a little more media prominence in NSW, but I’m sure it’s electorally driven.

Maybe people who are waiting on a hybrid can break and ride a feral brumby instead?

[jpd80]

So when you get an already fuel efficient ICE or hybrid and then add the cost of a PHEV on top, the savings are not that great. Efficient hybrids and diesels will continue to serve many people for the next decade.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by jpd80

So when you get an already fuel efficient ICE or hybrid and then add the cost of a PHEV on top, the savings are not that great. Efficient hybrids and diesels will continue to serve many people for the next decade.

I maybe wrong but from what I understand I have more chance running on battery in a PHEV than a hybrid? Pending your daily commute you could almost get away with battery power on PHEV 100%?

Then it if you want to go for a longer drive then you have the petrol to back you up?>

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Polyal

I maybe wrong but from what I understand I have more chance running on battery in a PHEV than a hybrid? Pending your daily commute you could almost get away with battery power on PHEV 100%?

Then it if you want to go for a longer drive then you have the petrol to back you up?>

Pretty much. You can get about 50-80 km on pure EV, depending on what vehicle you have. In theory you could just about run purely on EV if you never drive very far, with the petrol engine as a back up if you do the odd longer trip, or don't have the time or place to charge.

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

Unfortunately the private coach/charter industry is suffering a severe lack of drivers so apart from the medical requirements to pass/renew your heavy vehicle licence and passenger accreditation no operators can afford to discriminate you over your medical history or vaccination status.
I know of plenty of drivers who've had covid on top of existing respiratory/pulmonary histories.
We deal with large groups of international visitors everyday fresh off inbound flights and cruise ships.

I think you'll find its more to do with getting people to work in quarantine cleaning than facilities, its **** work for **** coin at a time when jobs elsewhere are apleanty.

Sorry I should have clarified, I don't really care about vaccination status, covid etc....I meant if a driver had say a pre-existing heart condition and therefore another serious illness combined could lead to a heart attack or requirement of a pacemaker than I think it only fair an employer knew as my own liability with clients etc comes into play...
I discovered one of my drivers was one more bad result off having a heart pacemaker installed and thus likely losing the legal ability to drive commercially...and we both sweated over his next medical report...

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Sorry I should have clarified, I don't really care about vaccination status, covid etc....I meant if a driver had say a pre-existing heart condition and therefore another serious illness combined could lead to a heart attack or requirement of a pacemaker than I think it only fair an employer knew as my own liability with clients etc comes into play...
I discovered one of my drivers was one more bad result off having a heart pacemaker installed and thus likely losing the legal ability to drive commercially...and we both sweated over his next medical report...

Pretty sure Vicroads or whatever state transport authority it is requires medical checks for heavy transport. But that has nothing to do with vaccination.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Sorry I should have clarified, I don't really care about vaccination status, covid etc....I meant if a driver had say a pre-existing heart condition and therefore another serious illness combined could lead to a heart attack or requirement of a pacemaker than I think it only fair an employer knew as my own liability with clients etc comes into play...
I discovered one of my drivers was one more bad result off having a heart pacemaker installed and thus likely losing the legal ability to drive commercially...and we both sweated over his next medical report...

In an ideal world I agree, my point is that when theres more work than drivers available to fill the seats, employers dont care about anything other than sighting your licence and accreditation.
Obviously if you fail the Govco testing to obtain/hold the required documents its no longer up to the employer but that only increases the pressure to employ whoever can.

In SA at the moment its taking double the standard time to renew LP accreditation, the result is many good drivers home on benefits whilst people you wouldnt trust with a pushbike driving half million dollar coaches as thats all thats available to fill the seat and the work keeps piling up.
Ive got 39.5hrs up this week already with 2.5 days to go, you think they care if im vaxed.

[vbomber]

Over on Facebook person posted a email from their Ford dealer talking about the delays:

15,000 cars sitting in Thailand, Ford going to put cars in shipping containers so they use different ports.

Improve the cleaning/quarantine in Thailand

Seems biggest issue is the car carriers are pulling out of Australia until its feasible for them to deliver....don't blame them having a ship wait 30+ days to deliver.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

In an ideal world I agree, my point is that when theres more work than drivers available to fill the seats, employers dont care about anything other than sighting your licence and accreditation.
Obviously if you fail the Govco testing to obtain/hold the required documents its no longer up to the employer but that only increases the pressure to employ whoever can.

In SA at the moment its taking double the standard time to renew LP accreditation, the result is many good drivers home on benefits whilst people you wouldnt trust with a pushbike driving half million dollar coaches as thats all thats available to fill the seat and the work keeps piling up.
Ive got 39.5hrs up this week already with 2.5 days to go, you think they care if im vaxed.

Out of curiosity given the big shortage of drivers - did the wages come up significantly to attract more drivers or is it a case of everyone offering cents in the dollar than complaining no one wants to drive buses.

Just like the hospitality iand automotive industries - COVID happens and suddenly no more supply of cheap slaves

[kevino]

Boomers retiring is one reason.
Every city every industry is short of drivers.

Here on the gc some school bus services are getting canned on the day with no notice due driver shortage ...school buses are supposed to be no 1 priority... like no chold left behind.

The run 700 which goes from Tweed to Broadbeach and vice versa is an eight minute frequency table but can be blowing out to an hour.

Wages are going up. But seriously who wants to drive heavy vehicles with the low standard of drivers around you. even the heavy vehicle dri9ver standards are dropping rapidly. I watched five semis today tailgating cars by one car length on the Pacific Highway in Nsw.

[Citroënbender]

I’d personally join the throng setting fire to any cars “quarantine inspected” by another country. I would rather have a slow, inefficient local system than one which would invariably trade rigour for corruption.

Biosecurity is a really big deal - disregarding it could utterly munt our agricultural output.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Out of curiosity given the big shortage of drivers - did the wages come up significantly to attract more drivers or is it a case of everyone offering cents in the dollar than complaining no one wants to drive buses.

Just like the hospitality iand automotive industries - COVID happens and suddenly no more supply of cheap slaves

$31.05 6am-7pm
$32.15 away rate + accommodation and all meals paid for. (minimum 11hrs paid per day regardless of hours worked but never more than 11.)
$34.80 7pm-6am
Saturdays $43.50
Sundays $55.00
Public Holidays $68.50

Paid full rate for what we call wait time which is time on the job but not actually driving.

Last Saturday(18/3) I worked from 5.30am to 10.45pm, only drove for 6hrs, took a 1hr lunch break, paid for the rest for a total of $707.

Saturday just gone I worked from 6.30am to 12.45am Sunday, only drove for 8.5hrs of that, took a 1hr lunch break, paid for the rest for a total of $759.

Last week I did 55.25hrs for a touch under $2k, this week im already at 44.75hrs with 2 days to go.

All in accordance with NHVL work/rest diary filled in.

Its a lot of responsibility to tip toe around in traffic with 50 odd lives onboard, driving a half million dollar vehicle, but its certainly not physically demanding.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by kevino

Boomers retiring is one reason.
Every city every industry is short of drivers.

Here on the gc some school bus services are getting canned on the day with no notice due driver shortage ...school buses are supposed to be no 1 priority... like no chold left behind.

The run 700 which goes from Tweed to Broadbeach and vice versa is an eight minute frequency table but can be blowing out to an hour.

Wages are going up. But seriously who wants to drive heavy vehicles with the low standard of drivers around you. even the heavy vehicle dri9ver standards are dropping rapidly. I watched five semis today tailgating cars by one car length on the Pacific Highway in Nsw.

Every occupation has its challenges and you're quite right, other drivers are ours.
I always say, to be a good driver you need to be confident in your own abilities so you can concentrate on what's going on around you.
The rewards in my industry make it worthwhile though, last fortnight I did 2 cruise ship tours, met some awesome people and received some handy tips on top of the hourly rate.
The next day I took a bunch of kids to a football match, quite a drive and got a text message from the coach saying the kids we're still buzzing from the bus trip and raving about the service I provided.
We get free food and drinks in selected service stations for bringing in business too.

Having said all that I'd never do metro public transport work, had a taste of it in Melbourne recently and whilst it was an adventure, driving low floor dinosaurs and dealing with many of societies dregs is not my scene, private tour and charter is my place.