New public transport pay system coming to Timaru

Tuesday, 11 June 2024

Motu Move and National Ticketing Solution (NTS) will launch MyWay by Metro services in Timaru in December.

A new easy-to-pay system for public transportation in Aotearoa New Zealand is to be launched in Timaru.

Called Motu Move, customers will be able to pay for public transport using debit or credit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay on mobile phones and smart watches, as well as a prepaid Motu Move card and pre-bought tickets.

National Ticketing Solution (NTS), a partnership between the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and 13 public transport authorities, will launch MyWay by Metro services in Timaru in December followed by a region-by-region rollout across the country.

Timaru mayor Nigel Bowen says the Timaru district has always been keen to try new things.

Timaru mayor Nigel Bowen welcomed the opportunity to start the service in Timaru.

'From our pioneering three-bin system to our first-in-the-country MyWay Service, Timaru has always been keen to try new things, so it's great to have been chosen to be the first place in the roll-out of this innovative new payment system.'

Timaru Metro school buses and the Temuka service would take up Motu Move in January 2025 while Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri districts would transition to the new system as soon as practical in 2025.

Motu Move will complement existing public transport service brands across Canterbury.

Environment Canterbury (ECan) acting chairperson Craig Pauling said Motu Move would eventually become the one ticketing and payment system for public transport across the country.

“Being able to pay with a contactless credit or debit card will make using public transport easier for all customers and means that visitors and first-time users won’t need to worry about buying a separate prepaid card.

“We also know that the data we get from Motu Move will help in planning future routes and service improvements.”

He said Timaru had taken on MyWay by Metro “with open arms” over the past few years.

“The Metro and MyWay by Metro brands will continue to be the identity for our public transport services across Canterbury, with Motu Move complementing Metro as the way you pay for these services here and across the country as the programme continues.”

ECan director of public transport Giles Southwell said customers would start to notice new poles with boxes attached at the front and rear doors on some buses.

“These are where the readers will eventually be that customers will use to tag on and off with their card or device once Motu Move is live in their area,” he said.

“Tagging off is common on public transport in the rest of New Zealand and around the world.”