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Public Complaints

Number of public complaints reported for Public Transport (as required by the Ombudsman)

Complaint categoriesSub-categoriesExample Number of Complaints
2020-21
Professional behaviour Staff Attitude Failure to demonstrate values such as empathy, respect, fairness, courtesy, extra mile; cultural competency 2245
Professional behaviour Staff competency Failure to action service request; poorly informed decisions; incorrect or incomplete service provided 1362
Professional behaviour Staff knowledge Lack of service specific knowledge; incomplete or out-of-date knowledge 42
Communication Communication quality Inadequate delayed or absent communication with customer 76
Communication Confidentiality Customer's confidentiality or privacy not respected; information shared incorrectly. 0
Service Delivery Systems/technology System offline; inaccessible to customer; incorrect result/information provided; poor system design 517
Service Delivery Access to services Service difficult to find; location poor; facilities/ environment poor standard; not accessible to customers with disabilities 2651
Service Delivery Process Processing error; incorrect process used; delay in processing application; process not customer responsive 3
Policy Policy application Incorrect policy interpretation; incorrect policy applied; conflicting policy advice given 109
Policy Policy content Policy content difficult to understand; policy unreasonable or disadvantages customer 0
Service quality Information Incorrect, incomplete, out dated or inadequate information; not fit for purpose 75
Service quality Access to information Information difficult to understand, hard to find or difficult to use; not plain English 0
Service quality Timeliness Lack of staff punctuality; excessive waiting times (outside of service standard); timelines not met 49
Service quality Safety Maintenance; personal or family safety; duty of care not shown; poor security service/ premises; poor cleanliness 1211
Service quality Service responsiveness Service design doesn’t meet customer needs; poor service fit with customer expectations 209
No case to answer No case to answer Third party; customer misunderstanding; redirected to another agency; insufficient information to investigate 80


Total 8629

Additional Metrics

Additional MetricsTotal
Number of positive feedback comments 602
Number of negative feedback comments (See complaints above 8629-80 = 8549) 8549
Total number of feedback comments 9151
% complaints resolved within policy timeframes 85%

Data for previous years is available at https://data.sa.gov.au/data/dataset/public-complaintsreceived-by-the-department-of-planning-transport-and-infrastructure

Service Improvements

There have been a number of updates to the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system which captures and stores customer feedback. Some of the improvements include:

  • Built a dynamic workflow form with form logic into CRM for better capturing of information and data from the customer to replace old word templates;
  • Combined the two pages of a case record into one for more efficient feedback creation;
  • Created a script to clear multiple duplicate customer files to ensure data is accurate and assist with single view of customer;
  • Integrated the service schedule times into the CRM to assist the customer with providing the scheduled time of their service when submitting a feedback which assists with service provider investigation; and
  • Automated fields pre-filling and feedback closure for more efficient feedback closure

Service improvements resulting from complaints or consumer suggestions:

1) Implemented a pilot of Tap and Pay on trams to allow customer to use Visa, MasterCard or enabled smart devices as an additional way to pay;

2) Developed an online order form for interstate seniors to order their free 14 day MetroTicket via the Adelaide Metro website and posting in advance of them arriving in Adelaide;

3) Deployed additional digital bus stops across the metropolitan area with Real Time arrival information;

4) Launched stage one of refreshed Adelaide Metro website; and

5) Implemented signage at Stop S1 Halifax Street to help reduce the noise of the bus services which use it as a layover.

Compliance Statement

DIT is compliant with Premier and Cabinet Circular 039 – complaint management in the South Australian public sector Y
DIT has communicated the content of PC 039 and the agency’s related complaints policies and procedures to employees. Y

Number of public complaints reported for other areas of DIT (as required by the Ombudsman)

Complaint categoriesSub-categoriesExample Number of Complaints
2020-21
Communication Confidentiality Customer’s confidentiality or privacy not respected; information shared incorrectly 9
Service Delivery Systems/technology System offline; inaccessible to customer; incorrect result/information provided; poor system design 225
Service Delivery Access to services Service difficult to find; location poor; facilities/ environment poor standard; not accessible to customers with disabilities 94
Service Delivery Process Processing error; incorrect process used; delay in processing application; process not customer responsive 64
Policy Policy Application Incorrect policy interpretation; incorrect policy applied; conflicting policy advice given 14
Policy Policy content Policy content difficult to understand; policy unreasonable or disadvantages customer 275
Service quality Information Incorrect, incomplete, out dated or inadequate information; not fit for purpose 14
Service quality Access to information Information difficult to understand, hard to find or difficult to use; not plain English 6
Service quality Timeliness Lack of staff punctuality; excessive waiting times (outside of service standard); timelines not met 81
Service quality Safety Maintenance; personal or family safety; duty of care not shown; poor security service/ premises; poor cleanliness 69
Service quality Maintenance Maintenance; poor cleanliness 105
Service quality Service responsiveness Service design doesn’t meet customer needs; poor service fit with customer expectations 36
No case to answer No case to answer Third party; customer misunderstanding; redirected to another agency; insufficient information to investigate 372


Total 1589*


*To note DIT has improved processes to more effectively identify report and action complaints this financial year which accounts for an increase in complaints recorded compared to last financial year

Additional metrics

Additional MetricsTotal
Number of positive feedback comments 112
Number of negative feedback comments 1217
Total number of feedback comments 1329
% complaints resolved within policy timeframes 89%

Data for previous years is available at: https://data.sa.gov.au/data/dataset/publiccomplaints-received-by-the-department-of-planning-transport-and-infrastructure

Service Improvements

Service SA

  • Opened a new Service SA centre in Mount Barker on 1 March 2021 fulfilling an election commitment to open a centre in the Adelaide Hills community.
  • Introduced ability for customers to add a concession on vehicle registration or driver’s licence via telephone (previously in-centre only).
  • Enabled Passenger Transport Inspections to be recorded in TRUMPS allowing taxis, ride share, bus etc. to renew registrations online and subscribe for direct debit.
  • Updated direct debit process to allow registrations with less than one month remaining to enrol in the scheme and allowed conditionally registered vehicles to be eligible for direct debit.
  • Changed the renewal of disabled parking permit transaction online to simplify the process. Added “Notice of Disposal” to online for a vehicle already transferred to a new owner.
  • Reformed Client Freeze messages in TRUMPS to enable more customers to transact online.
  • Introduced “How to” instructional videos to Service SA website and sa.gov.au pages to assist customers to create a mySA GOV account and set up direct debit registration renewals.
  • Added a licence renewal fee calculator to “renew driver’s licence” page on sa.gov.au.
  • Added common registration fees tables to “vehicle registration fees” page on sa.gov.au.
  • Introduced twilight Ridersafe courses during daylight savings to assist with the high community demand.

Network Management Services

  • Reviewed and adjusted the road network in response to feedback and concern, including:
    • Adjustments to speed limits;
    • Alterations to pavement marking and traffic sign installations; and
    • Changes to intersections and junctions to improve safety.

Road Safety, Policy and Research

  • Policy update to allow for a South Australian driver’s licence to be issued subject to alcohol interlock conditions, based on an interstate alcohol interlock Court order once the minimum period of licence disqualification has been served.
  • Policy update to allow motorcycle learner’s permits to be renewed (without any approval) provided the permit had not expired by more than 12 months.
  • Policy update to allow the transfer of an existing period of an interstate provisional licence, rather than requiring the applicant to pay for a new provisional licence period in South Australia.
  • Policy update to simplify the evidence required following a client request for a change of driver’s licence number, because of the licence or licence number being used fraudulently by another party.
  • During the height of COVID-19 in 2020, passenger transport vehicles were reaching the maximum vehicle age while not in service or during a period of difficulty in procuring a new vehicle. Exemptions were provided on a short-term basis to ensure to allow vehicles to remain on road to ensure continuation of services and viability of businesses.
  • Completed trials of on-demand public transport in Mount Barker and Barossa Valley. The Mount Barker trial has been extended to June 2022. The management of the trial moved to SAPTA in January 2021.
  • New delegations introduced to enable Service SA employees and contractors to process operator and driver accreditation at Service SA centres across the State.

Regulation

  • Extended heavy vehicle inspections to weekends at our inspection facilities and, by agreement with large fleet owners, at their premises to improve efficiencies and service delivery.
  • Made modifications to existing vehicle inspection pits at Regency Park to provide flexibility in the range of vehicle types that can be inspected.
  • Installed additional vehicle inspection pits to increase capacity, and meet customer timeframe expectations.
  • Installed new brake roller testing equipment to improve the customer’s experience through increased accuracy and consistency of assessment of vehicle brakes.
  • Secured additional resources to improve the waiting times for inspections of rebuilt written off vehicles.
  • Implemented regulation changes to allow driver licence images to be used for Passenger Transport Act administration, removing the need for applicants for the issue or renewal of a driver accreditation to attend Service SA for an additional photo to be taken.
  • All passenger transport inspection results now recorded directly into TRUMPS, allowing approx. 8,500 taxi/ rideshare/chauffeured/buses to renew registration via all channels, rather than the need to attend Service SA, often up to 4 times each year.
  • Implemented a digital system for administering the SA Transport Subsidy Scheme (SATSS) to innovate the process of subsidised taxi fares within the disability sector through a mobile application, ‘SATSS app’ simplifying the process for SATSS members and the taxi industry.

Marine Services

  • Launched a new website which will allow boaters to have a greater understanding of safety on the water; e.g. a page where boaters can tick boxes on lifejackets and it will provide the most suitable lifejackets for their boats and children.
  • Released an E-newsletter which provides links to safety videos, latest news from interstate, provide up to date information on boating.
  • Introduced iAuditor (electronic inspection and audit tool) which is a tool that automates creations of records in a paperless environment, improving productivity and data analytics capability.
  • Digitised boating transactions and testing, boat coding and dealer registrations (aligning boating transactions with vehicle transaction), removing boat registration labels and moving the transactions across to Service SA, Customer Service Centre.
  • Implemented new policy and procedure for Boat Operators Licencing to approve external delivery of licencing courses and licences by providers.
  • Introduced online aquatic activity licence applications.
  • Installed twenty-two new navigation beacons to mark the navigation channels in Venus Bay, Bay of Shoals and the Coorong channel between the Murray Mouth and Tauwitchere Barrage.
  • Carried out dredging works in the Penneshaw harbour to clear the harbour to ensure the safe passage of vessels.
  • Fitted defibrillators to all ferries in the fleet, enabling emergency 24/7 response access for the surrounding community and ferry operator in the event of a cardiac arrest.