Waiheke Island ferry stoush: Fullers promises more transparency

Friday, 31 May 2019

Fullers had organised a meeting with residents from Waiheke Island after reports of overcrowding, long queues and cancelled services.

A company that runs a 'lifeline' ferry service is promising better transparency after a series of complaints.

Overcrowding on reduced winter services, long queues and cancelled services had left people struggling to get to work and school in Auckland's Waiheke and Devonport.

On Friday, Fullers360 chief executive Mike Horne said the company had looked at its staffing levels and scheduling, spoken with its crew and planned to prioritise 'better customer communication' on the wharves.

It comes after Auckland Mayor Phil Goff backed councillor's Chris Darby plan to write to the Minister of Transport, Phil Twyford, about the problem and to get the Government to review the ferry company's exempt service as part of his public transport review.

**READ MORE:

Two new vessels have been bought for Fullers360's Waiheke Island and Devonport services (file photo).

* Fullers taking 'customers for granted' over Waiheke Island ferry service - councillor

* MP calls urgent meeting over 'significant tension' on Waiheke Island ferries**

Legislation in the 1990s allowed Fullers360 to keep full control of services to Waiheke Island and Devonport, putting the services effectively outside the council-controlled public transport network, Auckland Transport.

Twyford announced the Government would review the public transport operating model (PTOM). PTOM was introduced by the National government in 2013, which encouraged councils to commercialise public transport services.

Horne said he he was 'really supportive' of Twyford's incorporation of ferries into the PTOM review.

The company had decided to invest $13 million which would go towards buying two vessels for its Waiheke Island and Devonport routes from August 2019.

Horne said it had no staffing problems but the company had not been sharing information as well as it could have, and was committed to being transparent going forward.

A community event was planned in June where people could discuss their problems with the company, community leaders and stakeholders.

'There's obviously a gap with some people in terms of what the [ferry] experience is like,' Horne said.

'There's stuff I control and there's stuff I can do things with, for example the vessels and my staffing and how that operates. The bits we need to influence with the voice of the customer is really about wharves and how that works.'

Fog, technical and mechanical problems, and rules around how many passengers can travel with staff were issues the company planned on being more open and clear about.

One of its Waiheke vessels could carry 400 passengers with a staff of five but could only carry 300 people if there were only four staff members, Horne said.

The Waiheke community event will be held on June 9 at 1.30pm. The venue has yet to be confirmed.