While Good, the Draft needs a bit of a polish

Auckland Transport are consulting on the proposed integrated fares (or Simplified Fares) which will overhaul how we get charged for using public transport.

Again the outline from Auckland Transport:

Auckland Transport is making it easier to use public transport

 Auckland Transport is making it easier for you to pay for public transport.

To support the new, more connected network of bus and train services Auckland Transport is introducing a Simplified Zone Fare system.

It is also changing the fare products and making it easier to find something that works for you, whether you’re a frequent traveller or a visitor.

General Manager AT Metro Mark Lambert says the current fare stage system is well overdue for an overhaul. “We have to make it attractive, simple to understand and fairer for all.”

Mr Lambert says the current system is complex and can be difficult to understand, especially if you’re not a regular user. It’s also inconsistent and results in different fares for similar trips.

“There are also some anomalies between stages and relatively high fares for longer distances, while short trips are quite cheap.”

Simplified Zone Fares mean that for people using AT HOP cards for bus and train journeys, instead of being charged a separate fare for each ride, the fare will be calculated for the total journey regardless of whether you transfer between different services.

The proposed zone map has 14 zones and boundaries are generally at 10km intervals from the CBD, so that radial trips of similar distance will pay the same fare. Fares will be calculated according to the number of zones travelled through the entire journey and you won’t be penalised for transferring between bus and train services.

Where zone boundaries occur at major interchanges like Newmarket, New Lynn, Otahuhu, Manukau it is proposed that there will be zone overlaps with stops being in both zones.

Mr Lambert says Auckland Transport is also looking at a much simpler set of fare products. “AT HOP card users will have the choice of using the stored value on their card to pay for each journey, or a simple monthly pass that will allow unlimited bus and train travel across all zones. A day pass is also proposed allowing unlimited travel on buses and trains, as well as inner-harbour ferries.”

He says a new Family Weekender pass is also proposed, it would let two children to travel free with each adult using an AT HOP card during weekends and public holidays.

It’s proposed the Single All Day pass for all zones will cost $18. The proposed cost for a Monthly Pass, all zones on buses and trains would be $200 to $210.

At this stage ferry travel will not be included because the different ferry operators offer a range of weekly and monthly passes. “We are continuing to work on how we can bring ferries into the simplified zone fares system but it will take some time.”

Mr Lambert says Auckland Transport wants to hear what you think about the proposed zones and the fare products, consultation is open until Friday 5 June.

“Once we have finished the consultation and confirmed the zones and fare products, we’re aiming to introduce the new system in the middle of next year.”

Find out more: www.AT.govt.nz/simplifiedzonefares

………

I highly recommend reading this post from Transport Blog on the dynamics of the proposed fare system. In short the Simplified Fares in good it might need a bit of a polish to get it from good to GREAT.

From Transport Blog

By Matt L, on May 13th, 2015

On Monday Auckland Transport launched consultation for an amended Regional Public Transport Plan and that included a large section on integrated fares – or Simplified Fares as AT call them. Since writing the post AT have released a lot more information about their Simplified fares proposal so I thought I was worth while addressing the topic in more detail.

A key point on simplified fares is that you are charged based on your journey, not what services you use – with the exception of ferries. They define a journey as

• up to 3 trips on buses or trains,
• up to two transfers, as long as you tag on within 30 minutes of tagging off your previous service,
• complete your travel within 2 hours.

And example they give is someone who might travel from Albany to Newmarket taking a bus and a train. Currently it would be treated as two trips and be charged two sets of fares – albeit with a 50c transfer discount. Under Simplified Fares it would be a single journey and only charged a single fare.

Following the introduction of Simplified Fares it will be interesting to see is how they report on patronage and if they change to reporting journeys or if they just keep reporting boardings – preferably they’ll report both.

The zones AT are proposed are as I showed the other day.

………..

As mentioned at the time I think a little more work is needed on the zone boundaries, perhaps having all of them them overlap by 1-1.5km on all boundary lines to help address the issue of short journeys across a boundary being penalised heavily. As an example (below) the195 and 209 services currently travel down Godley Rd in Green bay and then on and through Blockhouse Bay. If someone was to get on the bus on Godley Rd and travel to Blockhouse Bay they would have to pay a two zone fare.

…………….

Another alternative would be for AT to introduce a short journey fare which is how the issue is dealt with in some other cities – such as Perth.

There’s one other feature on the map that’s bound to cause some concern and complaint and that is the boundary of the city zone compared to the current stage one zone. This appears to affect just south of Mt Eden and Orakei train station and is indicated on the map below with a black dotted circle. It means trips from those locations to the city will now pay a two zone fare whereas they current pay just a single stage fare. Depending on the fare levels AT set that could see costs for those users almost double.

…………..

One aspect of the information that has surprised me is that AT have given an indication as to the prices they’ll charge for the zones. The indicative fare table is below.

It seems most passengers will be better off with the changes – or at least pay roughly the same as they do now which is a good result from AT. They describe the main impact of the changes as:

• Commuters to and from the city to pay similar fares
• Longer distance trips to be cheaper
• Trips across zones to be substantially cheaper
• A small increase for short trips

———————-

Full post http://transportblog.co.nz/2015/05/13/a-closer-look-at-simplified-fares/

For me in my submission the main concerns would be:

1. Overlap Zones especially in West Auckland needing to be larger like Manukau and the North Shore to stop people being penalised for a short trip within the area. This is especially with in this case New Lynn being a Metropolitan Centre.
2. Equity for short distance. Most trips apart from the daily commute are short distance (under 5km and even under 2km). Are we being penalised for those short distance trips (say Papakura, Takanini or Manurewa to Manukau City Centre) which could contribute to local congestion
3. Need more information and prices on weekly and monthly caps. I have already had a few comments come back wondering if those on the current A-B Zones Monthly ($190/month) are going to get stiffed even more.
4. While separate I wonder if Park and Rides at stations that do not serve rural catchments should attract an extra 1-zone fare as well rather than being free. That way feeder buses are not being disadvantaged and people will realise their driving has a consequence.

All things to look at and all things to submit on.