Why are the poor paying for a council-owned Uber for the wealthy?

Monday, 26 November 2018

A one-year trial ride-share service has begun for the wealthy Auckland area of Devonport. (Video first published in November 2018.)

OPINION: Why are ratepayers in Auckland's poorest communities, and taxpayers, subsidising a council-owned Uber-style service for one of the city's wealthier areas?

In short, to see whether it will cut down the number of commuters using cars to pop down to the cross-harbour ferry from Devonport to the downtown waterfront.

Auckland Transport's (AT) latest innovation, called AT Local, is a 12-month trial using six electric vehicles that locals living within 3 kilometres of the terminal can order and pay for through an app for $3 a trip.

Devonport locals can pay $3 for the the ride-sharing service, AT Local, through an app.

The council-owned agency bought three new electric eight-seater vans at $100,000 each, and will add three of its own electric cars in the peak periods.

* Why have a bus arrive at the ferry wharf, just after the ferry has left?

* Auckland Transport prepares big push on key bus routes**

The Government's transport agency NZTA will pick-up the running costs of $475,000 or more, to see whether it works.

But is it really the answer to Devonport's problems, and smart use of Auckland money?

Devonport is one of Auckland more desirable places to live. It's on a peninsula with beaches and a village-like seaside area.

In the 2013 Census, Auckland's second highest incomes were in the Devonport-Takapuna local board area, with median household incomes of $81,400, but were probably even higher in Devonport itself.

With its three ferry services to the city from Devonport, Bayswater and Stanley Bay, and connecting buses, it has an enviable if not perfect public transport network.

Auckland Transport believes there are too many car trips down to the ferry, and a low uptake of bus services.

Politicians from the local board said AT didn't ask them about how to tackle local problems, which AT perceives as too many car trips down to the ferry, and a low uptake of bus services.

Devonport's ferry service is not cheap at $4.80 with an ATHOP electronic card. Add a connecting short bus trip at the other end, and $3 for the ride-share, and a relatively short trip ends up at $9.70

Locals say the types of vessels can make boarding slow and awkward.

Some of the solutions lie in AT's hands, although the ferry fleet belongs to the operator Fullers.

Auckland Transport still hasn't introduced the long talked-about fares for ferry users, that provide discounts for connecting with a bus or train.

The AT Local ride-share service can't be paid for using the region's electronic transport ticket ATHOP, and can't be used by under-18s.

Would making the bus trip to the Devonport ferry free of charge, if connecting to the ferry, attract more users and cut drop-offs? No one knows.

Would offering discounts to users of existing services like Uber, be much cheaper?

The trial is of the concept, not just in Devonport.

If it reaches its ambitious target of 200 trips a day, is that relevant to how it might work in the city's poorer, more transport-deprived areas?

AT will be hoping for more success than an earlier mini-bus innovation.

In 2014, when it's main offices were located both in Henderson and the downtown, it decided that the buses and trains connecting the premises weren't good enough for it's own staff, and trialled a minibus, expecting to make big savings in reimbursed private car use, and use of fleet vehicles.

After six months, the minibus had reached an average of 2.5 staff per trip, had run over budget at $140,000, and was scrapped, having consumed the equivalent of 50 average residential rates bills.