THERE is something very confusing about Tasmania. It's not just the way a pot of beer is called a 10 ounce or how city streets are all one-way. What is really confusing is the lack of public transport. Wind back the clock to the 1950s and Tasmania was a leader in innovation. It was the first state in Australia to operate mainline diesel locomotives (whatever they are) - but more importantly, it had a city- to-city-to-city express passenger train. The Tasman Limited was a beauty, I am told by those far wiser and crustier than I. It would start in Hobart, departing from the city's railway station and head North, stopping at Launceston and finally, Wynyard. It was an eight-hour day and a 370-odd-kilometre journey. How beautiful it must have been to wind through the undulating Midlands on what was considered a luxury passenger train. But cars became more popular and money was splashed at roads rather than railways and finally the service was given the chop in 1978. Once upon a time, Launceston and Hobart were also serviced by trams. Better than that, we had trolleybuses; the original green machines. Today, public transport is buses and .... actually, no. Just buses. And my word, don't they just extort it. You will get stuff-all change from $80 for a full-priced return adult bus fare from Launceston to Hobart. In Victoria, a journey of the same distance will cost you $25 each way. A one-way bus trip from Hobart to St Helens will cost you upwards of $50. And from Launceston to Devonport, well that's $24, young sir. It is not uncommon to hear gripes from tourists about our lack of inter- city transport, the price of it and its infrequent services. For daily bus use, a "short" trip on a Metro Tasmania bus is $2.40 (on Greencard; $3 in cash). It is not surprising that only 20.6 per cent of Metro's passengers are full-fare adults, versus the 33.8 per cent concession passengers and the 45.6 per cent student passengers. According to Metro's annual report for last financial year, only a third of passengers use the service to get to work. Public transport is not part of the mindset of an average Tasmanian. It needs to become more accessible; more public-friendly. Here is a radical notion: let's make day-to-day buses free. Fares make up 22 per cent of Metro's profit and the company freely admits it is not set up to make a profit, so why not scrap the fee - at least for short trips? Taxpayers already contribute $37.5 million a year to Metro. All we would have to do is make up the $11 million that comes from fares. Think of public transport like preventative health measures for our road infrastructure - in the long term, it's a money saver. Launceston City Council has already implemented the Tiger Bus, which is a definite step in the right direction. There is no denying that Launceston and Hobart's inner-city road infrastructure is groaning under the weight of increased traffic, and that groaning is only going to get louder. Think of the pleasure of riding to work on a free bus, headphones in, happily ignoring your fellow passengers. While the Victorian government is light-years ahead, proposing to implement post-midnight long- distance bus trips for weekend revellers, we're still struggling to provide the basics. Let's get the bus fares down, increase the frequency and make travelling by bus a first choice, rather than a last resort. Then maybe we can look at reviving the Tasman Limited.
It's not just the way a pot of beer is called a 10 ounce or how city streets are all one-way.
What is really confusing is the lack of public transport.
Wind back the clock to the 1950s and Tasmania was a leader in innovation.
It was the first state in Australia to operate mainline diesel locomotives (whatever they are) - but more importantly, it had a city- to-city-to-city express passenger train.
The Tasman Limited was a beauty, I am told by those far wiser and crustier than I.
It would start in Hobart, departing from the city's railway station and head North, stopping at Launceston and finally, Wynyard.
It was an eight-hour day and a 370-odd-kilometre journey.
How beautiful it must have been to wind through the undulating Midlands on what was considered a luxury passenger train.
But cars became more popular and money was splashed at roads rather than railways and finally the service was given the chop in 1978.
Once upon a time, Launceston and Hobart were also serviced by trams.
Better than that, we had trolleybuses; the original green machines.
Today, public transport is buses and .... actually, no. Just buses.
And my word, don't they just extort it.
You will get stuff-all change from $80 for a full-priced return adult bus fare from Launceston to Hobart.
In Victoria, a journey of the same distance will cost you $25 each way.
A one-way bus trip from Hobart to St Helens will cost you upwards of $50.
And from Launceston to Devonport, well that's $24, young sir.
It is not uncommon to hear gripes from tourists about our lack of inter- city transport, the price of it and its infrequent services.
For daily bus use, a "short" trip on a Metro Tasmania bus is $2.40 (on Greencard; $3 in cash).
It is not surprising that only 20.6 per cent of Metro's passengers are full-fare adults, versus the 33.8 per cent concession passengers and the 45.6 per cent student passengers.
According to Metro's annual report for last financial year, only a third of passengers use the service to get to work.
Public transport is not part of the mindset of an average Tasmanian.
It needs to become more accessible; more public-friendly.
Here is a radical notion: let's make day-to-day buses free.
Fares make up 22 per cent of Metro's profit and the company freely admits it is not set up to make a profit, so why not scrap the fee - at least for short trips?
Taxpayers already contribute $37.5 million a year to Metro. All we would have to do is make up the $11 million that comes from fares.
Think of public transport like preventative health measures for our road infrastructure - in the long term, it's a money saver.
Launceston City Council has already implemented the Tiger Bus, which is a definite step in the right direction.
There is no denying that Launceston and Hobart's inner-city road infrastructure is groaning under the weight of increased traffic, and that groaning is only going to get louder.
Think of the pleasure of riding to work on a free bus, headphones in, happily ignoring your fellow passengers.
While the Victorian government is light-years ahead, proposing to implement post-midnight long- distance bus trips for weekend revellers, we're still struggling to provide the basics.
Let's get the bus fares down, increase the frequency and make travelling by bus a first choice, rather than a last resort.
Then maybe we can look at reviving the Tasman Limited.
