Pick an issue
Today Auckland Transport’s Board conduct their usual board meeting over in Henderson. Usually when the Board meets you can find some interesting gems on our transportation system floating around. For more on today’s Board meeting please refer to Transport Blog’s AT June Board Meeting
However, while the Board meets today it seemed Auckland Transport was getting it from all sides this morning with a few Main Stream Media and Social Media pieces on a range of issues.
First up is the AT-HOP Daily Pass Issue which is meant to come to a-head on July 1 after a few delays.
Nigel Jones with his blog and Talking Auckland ran the stories first to which have been picked up by Transport Blog and thus far Radio New Zealand for the MSM division.
- Nigel’s (who broke the story first) post can be seen here: Whatever Happened To Daily Passes, an LGOIMA Answer
- My own follow-up post with some further history can be seen here: AT-HOP System is in Trouble in Regards to Taking on Daily Passes
- Todd Niall’s piece from Radio NZ can be seen here with possibly a follow-up after the Board meeting today: Auckland transport day pass delayed
Need-less-to-say more on this story is bound to happen especially if the July 1 date is missed for the AT-HOP Daily Pass roll out. Oh then we have a possible fare hike with that pass as well if this is anything to go by that was picked up by Nigel earlier this morning:
AT have changed the Zone boundaries but the B/C zone border is Westgate. So that is used for the zone border for the Day Passes.
The Day Passes are:
- AB – Norwest Border: Westgate $16 as quoted in RNZ item
or
- ABC – No border $22 as quoted in RNZ item
Old Discovery: Norwest Border: Waimauku
So people travelling to/from Waimauku/Kumeu from any part of Auckland on Day Passes will be stung with a 37.5% fare hike!
Ouch especially with the Kumeu area having the second to largest Rural Urban Boundary Future Urban Zone, and Special Housing Area behind its Southern Auckland counterpart. That border will sting a few out there until something more viable is done with daily fares when Integrated Fares are meant to be introduced next year.
Electric Train Breaks Down and Onehunga Line Punctuality hits basement levels
Not the best piece of news to come across Twitter this morning. That is an Electric Train was disabled (according to Auckland Transport’s Twitter Account) outside Britomart causing a few delays there. That piece of news comes on top of even more damaging news about the Onehunga Line (where the Electrics currently run) going from best performer to worst performer – behind the diesels.
From the NZ Herald:
New trains made tardy by controls
By Mathew Dearnaley 5:00 AM Tuesday Jun 24, 2014
Speed controls on Auckland’s new electric trains have affected punctuality between Onehunga and Britomart, where the first three have run since late April.
Only 72.8 per cent of Onehunga line trains arrived within five minutes of scheduled times at final destinations in May, a report to Auckland Transport’s board reveals.
That compares with a 12-month rolling average of 92.7 per cent on the line, where the first electric trains replaced old diesel clunkers on April 28.
The latest monthly figure ranks Onehunga services the least punctual of any in Auckland, a reverse of previous scores.
Initial delays were blamed on rail crew and passenger unfamiliarity with new systems, including door controls.
But the report mentions work with KiwiRail “to target short-term track speed improvements on the Onehunga line to improve both journey times and resilience to network impacts on the timetable”.
A survey of 391 passengers found 97 per cent rated the new trains positively, scoring them high for appearance, comfort and ease of use.
——
Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11280127
That to me is highly unacceptable and will not do anyone any favours attracting new patrons to the rail network. In my opinion it is time for Chief Operating Officer Greg Edmonds to stop making excuses and get that punctuality back above 92.5% pre EMU era. While punctuality issues are one thing on the Onehunga Line, they will not be tolerated rather well by Manukau and Southern Line passengers if these speed issues continue when they get the electrics (EMU) respectively later on this year and early next year. If we are still having speed issues when the Western Line gets their EMU’s towards the end of next year then we have a serious problem. At least the ratings for appearance, comfort and ease of use is high. Lets hope punctuality issues are soon gone before they impact passenger experience.
AT Shuttle not a good look?
Speaking of speed and so on you need to have a read of this one to believe it:
From Radio NZ
Public transport too slow for AT staff
Updated at 7:28 am today
Staff at the agency which runs public transport in Auckland are being offered a shuttle service for business trips between offices, because buses and trains are too slow.
Auckland Transport (AT) is spending more than $122,000 over six months, trialling the shuttle between its downtown offices and its headquarters in Henderson.
Public transport advocates say staff travelling between the Henderson and downtown locations should be using the bus and rail services at the door of both offices.
AT wants to reduce its car fleet by 20 vehicles, and is encouraging staff to cut car use.
“We’re providing options for staff, to have a tele-conference, to catch public transport using business AT HOP cards, and we’re also providing a shuttle between Henderson and Britomart,” AT community transport manager Matthew Rednall said.
But critics of the shuttle idea question why the staff are not using public transport. The Henderson office is the former Waitakere City Council headquarters, built alongside the railway station and bus interchange.
The downtown office in the HSBC building is directly opposite the Britomart train station. The shuttle parks on the other side of the building, behind the bus stop serving the 40-minute, twice-an-hour route to Henderson.
…..
You can read the full article over at the Radio NZ site (also the source for the above piece): http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/248005/public-transport-too-slow-for-at-staff
Below is the audio on the story
From what I have heard the shuttle on average carries four people and most times is empty. For the amount of money that shuttle is costing I would hope (if it was deemed so necessary – which it isn’t if the rest of us use public transport to get from A to B and access the internet through today’s devices) carrying a few more people than what it is. However, this looks like a Do as I say and not as I do approach from Auckland Transport. If the trains and buses are too slow well then hello how do you think the rest of Auckland feels and why do you feel you are so special that you need a shuttle Auckland Transport when we don’t have that luxury. The clue should be to get public transport working so that it is faster (which it will be once the new bus networks, and the electric trains are fully rolled out).
Not a good look here and not a very good day either for Auckland Transport.
[Update] Transport Blog have also followed up on this issue here: Auckland Transport’s Staff Shuttle
[Second update] Even TV3 picked up on the story and ran their own piece including video here: Trains, buses too slow for Auckland Transport staff
As someone said quite aptly on Twitter: “Auckland Transport’s Motto: Do As I Say and Not as I Do…”
[Third and I hope final update on this fast becoming beyond pathetic situation] This from TVNZ: Auckland Transport criticised over staff shuttle service
Lets hope tomorrow is a bit better 🙂 – Seriously
Talking Southern Auckland 
I’m starting to wonder if the AT logo is some cleverly designed Piñata, it seems to be the gift that keeps on giving for us and the media outlets this last week!