Auckland Transport have just announced a the results of their annual fare review.
2013 Annual Public Transport Fare Review
Auckland Transport (AT) has completed its annual review of bus, ferry and train fares.
An annual review of Auckland public transport fare prices is undertaken by AT in accordance with its service contract obligations with transport operators.Overview
This year, there are no across the board increases in fares, but there are targeted fare changes. The fare changes are designed to align bus and rail fares and, for ferries, to align fares on 10-trip paper tickets and AT HOP cards in preparation for the final rollout of the AT HOP card across AT services during the rest of 2013.Bus and Rail
Single trip cash fares will remain unchanged across all bus and rail as will adult and child* NZ Bus fares and child AT HOP and child 10-trip fares. Increases to some adult AT HOP and adult bus 10-trip tickets are needed. These will be between 2c and 22c per trip.Some bus and rail, return pass, daily pass, monthly pass and multi-operator fares will also change in preparation for the transition to integrated bus and rail monthly and daily passes.
Ferries
There is no general fare increase. Some ferry fares have reduced; targeted fare changes are proposed to achieve alignment of fares for 10-trip paper tickets and AT HOP cards and improved alignment of historic differences in fares for similar distance services.For example, short distance inner harbour services such as Devonport, Bayswater and Birkenhead 10-trip paper tickets will increase up to 20c per trip but with reductions in AT HOP fares.
Beach Haven, Hobsonville and West Harbour ferry service fares will remain unchanged or be reduced.
Tertiary Students
Across bus, rail and ferry the discount offered to tertiary students will reduce from a minimum of 38% to a minimum of 35% off the adult single trip cash fare, resulting in individual fare increases of between 7c and 40c per trip.
Our Goals
“Auckland Transport is working hard with its operators to provide greater connectivity and efficiency between public transport modes as well as better integrated pricing structure and price parity”, says Auckland Transport’s manager of Public Transport Operations Mark Lambert.
“We all know that Auckland’s roads are under enormous pressure and increased use of public transport across all modes has to be part of the solution to that problem”.
“Making public transport services customer friendly, and with a fare structure that makes them an attractive choice for people is a priority for Auckland Transport and its operators. Our New Network programme which is starting to be consulted on in June, forms part of that approach”, says Mr Lambert.
The new fares come into effect on 3 June.
For further information: www.AT.co.nz
*Children aged from 5 to 15 years inclusive and full-time secondary school students aged between 16 to 19 years inclusive (provided they are able to show a current Auckland Transport approved secondary school student ID, or are wearing a recognised school uniform. Please note that there will be no exceptions to this policy – proof of school attendance must be provided at all times).
I must say, I find it very odd that cash fares are being left but that HOP fares are being are being increased. Surely a better option would have been to at least increase cash fares by a greater level so to increase the effective discount being provided.
The actual fares aren’t online yet so we will have to wait to see exactly what the changes are.
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Errr? shouldn’t they be trying to encourage HOP uptake?
Yeah. This seems strange.
Well, they haven’t tried to encourage HOP uptake by having many places to buy and top up the card, either. One of the bloggers here had a theory that AT was treating HOP on trains and ferries as just a sort of pilot program, which if true suggests that uptake isn’t actually a goal yet.
But seriously? The fares are going up in ten days, and they won’t say even say what they are?
Upping cash fares will push a lot of people off PT. Ever watched people boarding a bus in Henderson? Pretty much 100% cash fares. One of the big lessons being learned by AT in the HOP rollout is that poorer areas don’t use prepay fares, but just pay as they go, and paying by cash. It looks to me that this is now being taken into account with the big bus rollout. Introducing the new system to buses while hitting essentially half the travellers with an increase would probably result in the biggest PT slump we’ve ever seen.
Provide a decent incentive to use prepay and people will. At the moment there is little incentive.
Make it easier to get the cards, easier to add small amounts, etc etc.
That’s unlikely to happen, on current form. They’ll just up cash fares instead, so that cash is less convenient.
A similar argument is used for roadbuilding (most Aucklanders drive, and are assumed by this argument to continue to want to do so, therefore most spending must be on roads – the arguement presented by both Brownlee and Joyce).
Just because cash is the majority used method of payment, does not mean that better alternatives exist.
I’m sure poorer people will use HOP if the discounts are worth it – after all, it will mean paying less. The current HOP discounts aren’t enough to get that ball rolling, and with these changes, are now even less so.
Yet again rather than encourage people to use PT by making it cheaper than the private motor vehicle and grow PT patronage, creating more income and less need for subsidies, they put fares up and wonder why patronage drops and car use goes up. Was this a National Party policy? (Read Brian Rudmans article today, very interesting)
Yes, the fares are going up because NZTA is requiring councils to aim for 50% farebox recovery. It’s exactly a National Party policy.
This doesn’t seem to be a change as a result of farebox recovery and the RPTP suggests that we will easily meet the requirement within the specified time frame thanks to the various projects going on that will boost patronage (electrification, integrated ticketing & fares, new bus network, PTOM). This seems more about getting the various fares to the same level so that they are the same when HOP rolls out to buses. Could have done it in a way that didn’t see increases though, i.e. reduce bus fares.
The more people use PT, the less fuel tax there is, the less money they have to build motorways. Gerry Brownlee even mentioned the reduction in fuel excise at the Causeway opening today but in reference to more efficient roads.
No need to get upset as this is just minor fiddling to align fares, check the first sentence:
“This year, there are no across the board increases in fares, but there are targeted fare changes. The fare changes are designed to align bus and rail fares and, for ferries, to align fares on 10-trip paper tickets and AT HOP cards in preparation for the final rollout of the AT HOP card across AT services during the rest of 2013.”
Note that some ATHOP fares are going up but also down, likewise paper fares are going up and down. The biggest increase is 22c from what we can see, 22c on an eight stage fare is basically nothing.
Have to wait to see the actual fare table, but hopefully this means it will now be exactly the same price to travel between any two points regardless of whether you take the train, one bus company or another .
22c on an eight stage fare is basically nothing.
That’s only because the eight stage fare* is already very high by international standards, and given the uptake of public transport in Auckland and its recent decline after further fare rises, it’s pretty high by local standards too. 22c is an extra increase, and it adds up.
Nevertheless, the largest increase is 40c, for students.
*The number of fare stages in Auckland is another pressing issue.
All we ever get is fare rises, why not something far more proactive like fare reductions full stop and then advertise the fact.. The PT patronage stats of late have not made good reading.
They are proposing fare reductions too!
Only on some ferry routes. Ferries are an important part of the network, but they carry a small percentage of passengers. For the great majority, this represents either no change after recent increases, or a rise in fares.
Yes, but I was just responding to the comment “All we ever get is fare rises”.
Bizarre and disappointing that they’re upping any fares, especially Hop.
Tertiary student discounts are already scant by the standards of other cities I’ve lived in (not to mention difficult to get until hop was implemented). That they’re increasing them at all is upsetting. 3%. Why? Do they have any idea how difficult it is to be a student in this expensive city, when you’re on limited fixed incomes and devoting your time to studying rather than working?
It’s time we had FREE public transport. There are several arguments against, and many more for.
Too expensive George … it’s already costing tens of billiions to provide free roading for cars as you well know 🙂
This is a minor marketing fail.
They should have said, ” we are adjusting fares to make them consistent across all buses, trains and ferries. Fares will go up or down by no more than 4% to make them all even” or some such.
Oh well. This was one of those aberrant weeks when I actually caught the train regularly, and quite enjoyed it – this will be just another wee tip of the scales away from it again, at least until we have a functioning electric network with decent frequencies (late 2014? or will it be early 2015?).
Why bother changing 10 trip cards when everyone ‘should’ be on AT hop by year end.
The time for HOP reductions, or cash increases, is probably next year once HOP is fully rolled out and all bugs sorted.
Not sure if anyone’s already pointed this out but the new fares are here.
it actually looks like they are using the NZ Bus co’s fare structure across the board (the fares are up in a table now), with this adult fare structure being standardised across the other companies:
1 stage $1.62
2 stages $3.06
3 stages $4.05
4 stages $5.04
5 stages $6.12
6 stages $7.11
7 stages $8.10
8 stages $9.27
with the higher stages only existing on rail, but being reflected in ferry fares as well.
more sensible would have been (and what I would have expected) was to standardise all the bus companies along the train fares, which would have been:
1 stage $1.60
2 stages $3.00
3 stages $4.05
4 stages $5.04
5 stages $6.00
6 stages $6.90
7 stages $8.00
8 stages $9.05
My guess is that AT’s contract with NZBus didn’t allow for them to reduce the fares of an operator. Because the Train fares would have been a much more sensible standard to change to.
I have no source on that information, just a guess, based on the strained relationship between AT and NZBus in the past (SNOP anyone?)
Thoughts?
^Those are the hop fares by the way, not cash.
yeah. sorry if I didn’t make that clear. AT is making Hop fares the same as ten trip fares so as to do away with ten trips. It seems they have chosen the NZBus fare table (10 trip divided by 10) for the standard rather than the lower, and more rounded fares used on trains on Hop.
Tertiary fares are going up regardless of payment means – also going up on NZ Bus services.
Does anyone know why Fullers is undercutting the AT Hop prices still with their “Saver Seat, Same Day Return” online pricing to Devonport ? AT Hop = $8.20 return, online $7.50 ??? Shouldn’t they not be allowed to do that? It just messes up the system…
The Devonport ferry (and Waiheke) are fully commercial services and fullers can basically do what they want (which they do)
I don’t see the issue with this, if Fullers are willing to offer cheaper sailings then so be it.
if a commercial (monopoly) service is cheaper than a regulated service it means the regulated one is too expensive doesn’t it?
NZ Herald: Students bear the brunt of Auckland public transport fare rises.
If I read the fare information correctly, monthly passes are increasing from $120 to $140. That is a 16% increase. Would like to be corrected on this but if it is the case I think my rail travel will reduce to two or three trips a week, maximum, no monthly pass. No upfront payment to AT.
That’s what I read too. It’s making me question using a monthly anymore
Ahhh monthly passes, the biggest ripoff yet. Nevermind that since 2000 they have increased in price so that they are now 40% more than the rate of inflation. Nevermind that they are now limited to calendar month only, so tough tits if your life doesn’t fit into the box AT thinks it should. Nor that service has improved …zilch for A Zone bus users.
Auckland, still a joke. Oh but a new timetable will be introduced in 2016. Wow, only 18 years for a timetable change on my route, and I guarantee the last bus will still be at a pitiful 11pm.
A Zone monthly pass
2000 = $69
2013 = $140
Pathetic.
In recent days there has been two articles in the NZ Herald about Auckland PT Fare Rises. The links are
Fares rise in last stage of Hop project (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10886907)
Better prices may be in store for Auckland public transport users despite fare rises targeted at students and buyers of multiple-trip tickets.
Auckland Transport chairman Lester Levy said last night the increases on Monday would be the final instalment in a three-year process of aligning bus and rail fares for the introduction of the $100 million Hop smart-card project.
There will be no general fare rise, but students face increases of 7c to 40c a trip and adults will pay between 2c and 22c more to travel on trains with Hop cards or on buses with 10-ride tickets.
Dr Levy, who has been six months in the job, said the “die was cast” some years ago on the alignment process.
But now that was complete, a comprehensive review was needed to achieve “attractive and affordable pricing – a process by which we can attract a significant uplift of people on to public transport”.
“Pricing may well be an important element – that might mean better pricing than we currently have.”
He hoped market research would be conducted to find “a much more strategic way of pricing in order to make the public transport system more attractive to use and more commercial to run”.
A staff report to the board said Hop cards were used for 66.5 per cent of train trips in April, six months after their introduction to rail.
–
Students bear the brunt of Auckland public transport fare rises (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10886051)
Auckland Transport has been accused of targeting students with public transport fare rises that will also affect thousands of Hop and multi-trip ticket buyers.
Auckland Transport – which waited until late yesterday to announce changes approved by its board two months ago – will lift cash fares for tertiary students by between 7c and 40c a trip on June 3.
Adults who use Hop cards on trains or 10-trip tickets on buses also face fare rises of 2c to 22c a ride.
Ten-trip tickets on inner harbour ferry trips such as from Devonport, Bayswater and Birkenhead to the city will also rise by up to $2, but water transport will become considerably cheaper for Hop card users.
A single trip fare for a Hop card user from Devonport to the city will fall from $5.40c to $4.10c compared with an unchanged cash price of $6, but ten-trip tickets will rise to $41.
That is to align Hop cards with multi-trip tickets, which Auckland Transport ultimately wants to scrap in favour of seamless travel across ferries, trains and buses.
Public transport operations manager Mark Lambert said close to 50,000 public transport users could be affected. The changes were required before Hop cards were rolled out to the city’s buses between June 23 and November, he said.
Auckland Council transport chairman Mike Lee asked why fares could not be aligned downward, particularly on trains.
“It seems the most loyal passengers are being targeted – students and those taking multiple trips.”
Auckland had the highest public transport fares of any Australasian city and students were “a key part of our market”, he said.
Mr Lambert said an increase in the student discount from 20 per cent to 40 per cent in 2008 proved highly effective in lifting demand and getting cars off the road, but there was a limit to ratepayer subsidies.
Auckland University Students’ Association president Daniel Haines said the fare rises appeared aimed at those who could least afford to pre-load Hop cards for multiple trips.
He said transport was the second highest cost facing students, after accommodation, and the increases would hit those who faced long trips from suburbs offering lower rents.
–
In this second article, It looks like the AY Hop Card will wbe available on Urban Express from June 23.
Is Auckland Transport going to release an exact date timetable for the Bus AT Hop rollout ?
Graeme there rough timetable announced was “The roll-out is planned to start with Urban Express bus services in June. Birkenhead Transport, NorthStar, Ritchies, Northern Express, Metrolink, Go West and Waka Pacific are planned to follow through to November.
Howick & Eastern, Bayes, Fullers Waiheke Bus Company, the Airporter and Airbus are planned in the final phase to the end of the year.”
http://greaterakl.wpengine.com/2013/05/17/hop-rolling-out-to-buses-from-june/
AT said that the exact timetable is still being working on as they need to have a lot of pieces in place for it to happen.
Hitting the young with PT fare rises would appear to be part of a worldwide trend, at least according to this report by the UK CBT: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/may/28/public-transport-fare-rises-young.