Home About Us Our Mission and Guiding Principles

Our Mission and Guiding Principles

PTO Vision

Through providing leading dispute resolution services, we will contribute to improving how public transport services meet the needs of the Victorian community.

Mission

  • We deliver an independent, accessible, fair and effective complaint review and dispute resolution service, for commuters and others affected by public transport services, and Victorian public transport operators
  • We provide leadership for Victoria's public transport sector in handling and solving complaints, and
  • We work with operators and other stakeholders to improve the quality of public transport for the Victorian community.

What we stand for

  • We provide leadership, innovation and excellence in complaint handling and dispute resolution
  • We are responsive and act with respect, integrity and accountability in all our dealings
  • We promote effective relationships with public transport operators, government and those in the community who represent public transport users
  • We strive for a comprehensive knowledge of public transport in Victoria, and to understand the needs of commuters and public transport operators
  • We aim to be a leading industry ombudsman in all we do, with professional and well supported staff, effective systems and processes, and responsible use of resources and energy.

We pursue complaints in a fair, reasonable, just, informal and expeditious manner having regard to the law, industry codes and good transport industry practice. Fees for use of our services will not be charged to, or costs awarded against consumers who contact us.

We comply with the Benchmarks for Industry-Based Customer Dispute Resolution Schemes published in 1997 by the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Science and Tourism.

Accessibility

Principle           

The scheme makes itself readily available to customers by promoting knowledge of its existence, being easy to use and having no cost barriers.

Purpose

To promote customer access to the scheme on an equitable basis.

Independence

Principle           

The decision-making process and administration of the scheme are independent from scheme members.

Purpose

To ensure that the processes and decisions of the scheme are objective and unbiased and are seen to be objective and unbiased.

Fairness

Principle           

The scheme produces decisions which are fair and seen to be fair by observing the principles of procedural fairness, by making decisions on the information before it and by having specific criteria upon which its decisions are based.

Purpose

To ensure that the decision of the scheme are fair and are seen to be fair.

Accountability

Principle           

The scheme is effective by having apropriate and comprehensive terms of reference and periodic reviews of its performance.

Purpose

To promote customer confidence in the scheme and ensure that the scheme fulfils its role.

Efficiency

Principle           

The scheme operates efficiently by keeping track of complaints; ensuring complaints are dealt with by
the appropriate process or forum and regularly reviewing its performance.

Purpose

To give customers and scheme members' confidence in the scheme and to ensure the scheme
provided value for its funding.

Effectiveness

Principle              

The scheme is effective by having appropriate and comprehensive terms of reference and periodic independent reviews of its performance.

Purpose

To promote customer confidence in the scheme and ensure that the scheme fulfils its role.