The already limited replacement bus services that we saw on Thursday and Friday have been cut back even further on the weekend. This is detailed below:
Now it’s good to slowly see some extra services come online – like the Sandringham Road one – but I must say that I am disappointed that more of an effort has not been made to get as close to normal weekend services as possible. I think this would have been plausible, as companies like Birkenhead Transport, Howick and Eastern and Ritchies must have a lot of buses sitting in their depots on the weekend that could have been put into use. I guess finding drivers might have been a bit trickier, but altogether potentially possible.
However, there is still an assumption I guess that people only use public transport to get to work during peak time. This is a bit unfortunate.
Hopefully everything will be sorted by Monday, although it’s not sounding too promising.
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NZ Bus are really digging their heels in… Strange but this is going on for a while next week… What a shame and a pain…
It is odd considering that the whole situation is costing them about $150,000 a day in ARC subsidies. That has to hurt.
They’re also saving on bus drivers salaries, which is $15 x 8 hrs x 900 drivers = $108,000 plus reduced maintanance etc, they’re losing dosh but not as much as it seems….
Yeah I know that. Plus savings on fuel – but I guess it can’t be doing particularly good things for their bottom line if this drags on. The fixed costs of their assets (the buses themselves) must be reasonably high.
Also I wonder how many of those driven to the trains by the bus strike will not go back to buses after the strike is over. NZ bus could be pushing some customers away by withdrawing their services.
That a good point for those who get to work quicker via train (and if it’s a similar or cheaper price) presumably would conitue to do so… I don’t really see a “win” in any of this for NZ Bus…
Disappointed to see all Tamaki Drive services have been ignored with the temporary service. It’s not that great at the best of times, but even so. Just can’t get to University this week.