Who we are

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The Public Transport Ombudsman (PTO) provides fair and efficient dispute resolution and improves public transport for the Victorian community. We’re a not-for-profit organisation that is independent of government and public transport operators.

We offer an independent and free service for people who are unable to solve their problem directly with our industry scheme members. Our members are public transport operators and agencies.

We work with government, the community and our members to increase awareness of our service, understand the community’s public transport experiences, and help make public transport better for everyone.

The Public Transport Ombudsman (PTO) scheme was first established in April 2004. Since then, we’ve helped over 55,000 people and investigated or conciliated more than 7,200 complaints.

The decision to establish a PTO scheme in Victoria recognised that public transport is an essential service. It followed the establishment of industry-based Ombudsman in other sectors where formerly state-owned essential services had been privatised, including banking, energy and water, and telecommunications.

What is an Ombudsman?

An Ombudsman specialises in resolving disputes. This is often referred to as alternative dispute resolution, because the Ombudsman model offers an ‘alternative’ to traditional dispute resolution mechanisms like courts or tribunals, which can be costly and complex to navigate.

An Ombudsman provides independent, informal and impartial dispute resolution services that are cost-free to the community. A cost-free Ombudsman model is also proportionate to many of the types of consumer complaints that industry-based

Ombudsman, like the Public Transport Ombudsman, handle. Ombudsmen also play a role in identifying issues that are systemic and may be driving complaints.

Read more about the history of the Ombudsman Model at the Australia and New Zealand Ombudsman Association (ANZOA) website.

Our Charter

Our Charter defines the mission and purpose of the Public Transport Ombudsman (PTO) scheme as an independent body for resolving complaints and disputes between individuals and PTO scheme members. It also sets out the functions and powers of the Ombudsman’s office, and our jurisdiction. Jurisdiction refers to the types of complaints we can and can’t consider.

Our structure and governance

The Public Transport Ombudsman (PTO) is a public company limited by guarantee. Our Charter and Constitution set out the roles of our Ombudsman, Board, and industry scheme members.

The PTO Board comprises 7 members: an Independent Chairperson, three Industry Directors and three Consumer Directors. Consumer Directors are appointed to represent the interests of public transport users. Industry Directors are appointed, on a rotating basis, from one of five PTO scheme member organisations (Department of Transport and Planning: Metro Trains; V/Line; Yarra Trams; Bus Association of Victoria). See our current Board members.

The Ombudsman heads up the office of Public Transport Ombudsman. They are responsible for the effective and efficient resolution of all complaints to the PTO office, and for ensuring the independence and overall effectiveness of the PTO scheme. Our current Ombudsman is Ms. Ann Jorgensen.

PTO scheme members include Victorian public transport operators and agencies responsible for building and maintaining public transport infrastructure.

Membership provides PTO scheme members with an independent escalation point for complex or hard-to-resolve complaints raised by customers or community members. There are currently 17 members of the PTO scheme.

The Ombudsman

Ann Jorgensen is Victoria’s Public Transport Ombudsman. She joined the Public Transport Ombudsman (PTO) as Deputy Ombudsman in December 2021 and was appointed Ombudsman in December 2023. Ann lives in Melbourne’s inner north and is a regular tram and train user.