Why is Auckland Transport not making it easy?
And today those who use Auckland central isthmus bus routes – typically served by NZ Bus‘s Metrolink “division” have the wonderful task of playing which HOP card do I use today. Do I use NZ Bus’s Snapper Card still (which got dumped from the AT-HOP integrated ticketing scheme) or can I use the ‘new’ AT HOP card as I can with relative ease on the Trains, Urban Express and the Ferries.
I do feel for my isthmus commuting counterparts being stuck with NZ Bus’s continued disaster (AT have some to wear from the blame as well) with the HOP system. Fortunately I have the trains that I can use when going to my main destination – the CBD and an AT-HOP card that works very well along the way.
From NZ Herald:
Bus passengers face lucky dip with cards
By Mathew Dearnaley 5:30 AM Monday Nov 11, 2013
Many Auckland bus passengers face a lucky dip today over which type of electronic Hop card will get them to work or classes.
NZ Bus was over the weekend changing 140 of its 294-strong Metrolink fleet from its purple Snapper Hop card to Auckland Transport’s dark blue version, ready for this morning’s rush hour.
That follows a changeover last month on 162 North Star buses operating from its Glenfield depot.
Auckland Transport is guarded over just which cards will operate on which bus routes from today, saying passengers should be armed with both versions, or carry cash.
That follows cases of passengers with old cards left stranded on some central Auckland routes by buses sent from North Shore with machines converted to read only the new AT Hop version.
But the Herald has received a list – described by a source as “unofficial but correct” – of central routes to be served by buses due to have been converted to AT Hop over the weekend.
They include routes from Point Chevalier, St Lukes to Onehunga, Westmere, and Glendowie-St Heliers-Newmarket.
Others listed for conversion on November 24 “or later” include Mt Eden Rd, Dominion Rd, Waikowhai and Sandringham Rd.A third category, to be served by a mix of buses scheduled for conversion either over the weekend just gone or from November 24, include Onehunga, Mangere, Te Papapa, Mt Wellington-Otahuhu, Victoria Ave-Benson Rd-Portland Rd in Remuera, and Glen Innes-Sylvia Park-Panmure.
Auckland Transport spokeswoman Sharon Hunter recommends passengers obtain the new AT Hop card while retaining the Snapper version until the entire 650-strong NZ Bus fleet is switched over by the end of the year.
Birkenhead Transport and Urban Express buses switched to AT Hop several months ago, but other firms including Northern Express operator Ritchies will not follow until early 2014.
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You can read the full article over at the Herald site
But this from AT “Auckland Transport is guarded over just which cards will operate on which bus routes from today, saying passengers should be armed with both versions, or carry cash“ is surely not the best way to win over passengers. I would be at a safe guess that for the most part in regards to transport Auckland Transport’s name would be nothing short of mud in the eyes of Aucklanders. I know Transport Blog over the weekend and even earlier were trying to coax out of AT which routes will be covered by the current AT-HOP cards and have had Snapper removed from them. AT wouldn’t budge and so like I overheard at Britomart this morning there were some very cranky and confused bus passengers either having to juggle two cards or figure out which one they needed. Fail that here comes the $20 note as they have nothing else (if that even)…
Why oh why is this saga still on going. Heck I started covering this ongoing mess since the beginning of 2012 and here we are coming to the back-end of 2013.
Mind you the AT-HOP card is working well and I have had no particular issues tagging on or off while using the trains. That said when do we get affordable integrated fares (although might what integrated ticketing sorted first)?
Talking Southern Auckland 
I can´t top up my card in any shop because they don´t have the right machine. I can´t top up online because the website to register the new card is not working. When a system spend too much effort, time and energy sustaining itself is destined to collapse.
How can we trust in a transport system that can´t deliver for the current number of people that depend on it?… What if half of the people that drive every day to work decided to catch the bus? Is there enough infrastructure? How can they expect to convince people to change their habits when they cannot deliver a good consistent and affordable service? At least someone made some money selling the new cards and tag machines to auckland transport.
The most basic rule of marketing is to deliver a good service so the costumer becomes the advertiser… ¨But wait we don´t want that right?… if people start taking public transport too seriously we might have to actually do some work¨ Shame on you Auckland transport and auckland authorities.
A liveable city is a city with equal opportunities for its habitants. This is nothing but another money making scam.
….What do you do when something that you bought is defectuous? you take it back and ask for a refund…we don´t have to play their game, if what we are paying for is not working then let´s not pay till it works.