Letter to the Editor, The Age

12 January 2010

As the new operator of Yarra Trams, KDR was disappointed at the way our first month’s performance was portrayed in the story “Tram times no better despite new operator” (The Age, 12/1).

To say that our results in December “show virtually the same level of lateness as the old operator”, is a selective interpretation that fails to take into account seasonal factors.

Seasonality requires careful consideration of month to month comparisons.

In fact, not only was our punctuality in December 2009 a full four percentage points better than December 2008, but it was the best December performance since Yarra Trams took responsibility for the operation of the entire network in April 2004, taking into account the tighter punctuality regime under the new franchise.

KDR has only just begun our Yarra Trams journey and we have a long term commitment through a series of exciting initiatives to enhance the total tram travel experience for Melbourne.

Michel Masson
Chief Executive Officer
Yarra Trams