Auckland Transport has impressed me in quite a few ways since they formed in November last year. They responded quickly to a cyclist’s death on Tamaki Drive to remove parking spaces, they seem to have a (long overdue) renewed focus on improving Auckland’s bus system and they’ve been fairly responsive to my requests for information – such as the questions I posed to CEO David Warburton that I got answered a couple of weeks back. It has also been good to see the board papers for Auckland Transport (well, some of them) posted online and the meetings made available to the general public.
But a few things about the way they operate indicate to me that the secretive culture of ARTA has not quite yet been disposed of. And the responses to a few enquiries made in recent times still leaves a lot to be desired. If we start with the openness and accountability, while it has been good to see some of the board papers published online, there are still strange gaps and in some respects it feels as though we’ve even gone backwards in terms of openness since the days of ARTA.
As an example, let’s have a look at the agenda for Auckland Transport’s December board meeting. There was an open session and a closed session. The agenda for the two are shown below:
Some of the items in the closed agenda made sense. Staffing matters are probably not generally for public consumption while discussion on the RFP for legal services is also legitimately something to be discussed behind closed doors. But many of the other parts of the closed session just seem like they should be open to the general public.
Why shouldn’t we know what progress is happening on rail to the airport? Why shouldn’t we know what options are being looked at to close the rail funding gap? Why shouldn’t we know where integrated ticketing (AIFS) is at or what the “Public Transport Operating Model” is? Surely something should be in the open agenda unless there’s a mighty good reason for it not to be. I’m of a mind to make a LGOIMA request for all those documents and see what can be reasonably withheld and what should be released.
The second thing about the above agenda is that not everything in the open agenda has even made it onto the Auckland Transport website. There are a number of items which have been provided: the draft statement of intent, the Chief Executive’s report, the financial report and the 100 day plan. But why is the Business Report (item ten) missing? If it’s anything like ARTA’s old monthly business reports, the business report is actually the really interesting one: with patronage figures, updates on infrastructure works and updates on service changes. The last time we heard anything about public transport patronage was in the September 2010 ARTA monthly report: over four months ago! Originally I thought this was an oversight, but a number of requests to Auckland Transport for the document have come to nothing so I suspect they’re deliberately not making that report public – even though it was in the Open Agenda. Another thing to add to my LGOIMA request I suppose.
So it still seems that Auckland Transport is struggling a bit to be open and accountable. I’ve certainly cut them a bit of slack over the past few months as things got ‘up and running’, but I think by now they should have systems in place to be able to make public as much information as possible, while keeping secret what really does need to be kept private.
In terms of responsiveness, my good friend Cam Pitches, convenor of the Campaign for Better Transport, has been having some seriously bad problems with getting responses to a couple of complaints he has made. These are outlined further on the CBT website, but let me quote the most recent one:
This morning the 024 8:00am service didn’t show. I phoned Max (09 3666 400) and gave them the details. I also let them know that the service was also late yesterday. The pleasant call centre rep on the line took all the details to “pass on to the operator”. She asked if I would like feedback on my complaint. I said yes (Well, of course! I don’t want the bus to be late tomorrow and I want to know that the operator is aware of the problem and is doing something about it.). So I gave my number and just before I hung up the call centre rep told me someone will be back to me in ten days. I thought I had misheard, but yes, the turnaround time for responses is ten days. I’m guessing that is ten working days as well.
In my view this is nowhere near enough to incentivise customers to provide feedback. It’s pathetic in fact. Professionally I’ve worked for a number of different businesses. Turnaound times are typically around four hours at most. Why shouldn’t the Maxx complaints system be any different?
I’m not suggesting that a complete solution be developed in four hours, just that an acknowledgement (and ideally a reference number) be given in a timely manner.
Auckland Transport have had their “honeymoon” – I would recommend they really focus on getting down to business now and ensure they are responsive, open and accountable.
Processing...
maybe might have to try the NZTA tactics on Auckland Transport. You would hope with a friendly mayor and reasonably friendly Councillors AT can be encouraged to release information.
The issues in the closed session could contain company/ies information, so I’m guessing are being withheld under “commercial sensitivity”…
Josh, may I suggest that you CC Mike Lee and Len Brown on your LGOIMA requests, and also on any subsequent appeals to the Ombudsmen?
Brown has placed a significant emphasis on transparency and openness in operating, and will be very interested to know that AT is not being a properly-open body. And Lee, well, he’s Mike Lee. The image he cultivates is of someone who wants to make public transport really work, and part of that is being accountable to the public it transports.
Mike Lee is on the board so would have been at the meeting
Yes, but that doesn’t mean he’s aware of LGOIMA requests being made for stuff that’s been put into closed session, or for information that AT are determinedly not providing when it was available from ARTA.
So far, I am not very impressed by Auckland Transports call center / email responses to queries either. Service requests to Auckland Council get answered, and, apparently, actioned, after a few days. Similar requests to Auckland Transport have so far resulted only in (late) responses (long after their 10 day deadline) stating “we are looking into it” – with no results yet after more delays.
Their call center/wider service team is either understaffed or still pretty disorganised.
I remember some years ago making a complaint about a bus driver who a) deliberately tried to run me off the road twice and b) opened the bus door and shouted abuse at me (presumably for having the temerity to be on Symonds Street on a bike as I had done nothing else to arouse his ire). My complaint was about 20 minutes long and included the repeated comment, “I was genuinely in fear of my life!”
It took me two months to get a response back…although, to be fair, when it came they were very apologetic about the delay. The sad thing is that so few people even realize they can complain – last night I was talking to a girl who catches the bus from Pt Chev who told me that there is one bus driver who consistently misses her stop, every day he does the route. I said “Why don’t you complain?” and she said “Who to?” And this has been going on for months…
If you ask me, Auckland Transport should make sure the number to call for complaints is much more prominently displayed on buses and also on bus stops and train stations.
Thats not a bad idea, it would be similar to some trucks and cars that have stickers on them asking for feedback on their driving with the idea that by making it easier to complain, those driving the vehicles will drive better. By doing this they are trying to show that they care more about the impact they make as well as helping to avoid negative publicity.
Wonder if that bus driver was the same one on Symond St I had a run in with.
Maori guy, maybe 6ft in his 50’s, large but not fat.
Anyway, the bus company (NZ Bus) got back to me pretty much the same morning, probably because I’d complained to the cops that he’d threatened to bash me and that they had called them up.
In sayng that though, most bus drivers are pretty decent to be around from my experience – tend to follow the “treat us with respect, we’ll do the same” rule.
In Melbourne the number for information, the number for complaints and a summary of rules (no smoking, no feet on seats etc) and the powers of transit officers is posted in every train and tram carriage, and at the front of every bus.AT should look into something similar.
Another idea would be to give each driver or conductor a ‘badge number’ which they wear as part of their uniform, in a similar way to how each bus has a serial number or indeed how cars have liscence plates. That would make managing complaints (and commendations) a lot easier.
Do people think the MAXX Branding will stay around for long?
Why not just have it as Auckland Transport?
Auckland Transport doesn’t really have a brand yet – not even a real logo. Admittedly not the most important thing in their startup worries (and in so far, I actually admire the choice to ignore that for now – better things to do), but if they ever want “their own” brand on PT, first they will have to make a choice as to what their brand is.
In New Zealand everyone likes to pretend that the council an government is really small and doesn’t do anything, and that it is glorious unregulated private sector that does all the work. Calling it Auckland Transport might be too socialist for the power that be, they need to hide it behind a nondescript brand name.
The funny thing is, under MAXX in small letters are the words ‘Auckland Transport’.
MAXX or MAXX inconvenience? LOL 😉
Some background on the MAXX brand.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAXX_%28brand%29
has anyone else found themselves with a reminder notice from Auckland Transport despite having paid a parking ticket – oops, silly question as I have since found out. Apparently there have been BIG problems and still are, as a result of the creation of the Auckland Super City. Yes, I have that on recorder. Well, now the fine has made its way to the Ministry of Justice despite me supplying ALL necessary detail to Auck Transport (more than once). So to the THOUSANDS of others out there, I hope you have your receipt, but, thats probably not going to help anyway as AUCK Transport does not thoroughly investigate fine payments going missing.
I phoned Auck Transport again, explaining that I wanted the managers name and found it offensive that I now have a Court Fine, especially considering that I paid the ticket within 20 minutes (yes just 18 minutes). I just found out that they have recorded that I paid the fine, a pity they never bothered telling me and have not told the Ministry of Justice. I advise anyone paying infringement to do so by eftpos and keep receipts. I now have to try and clear my name with Ministry of Justice and as for the court fine – hmmm.