Major overhaul concept required for bus routes

WHEN, as the last general manager of Dunedin City Councilowned Citibus, I presented a major overhaul concept for a number of routes to the Otago Regional Council, the proposal was rejected without discussion as I was told that ‘‘DCC do not tell the ORC how to run the buses’’.

At the time there was a lot of discussion about DCC taking over the city’s public transport management and the sale of Citibus removed ‘‘conflict of interest’’ as the ORC’s objection to the transfer of that authority. Despite that sacrificial sale of a key strategic asset, over 10 years later that transfer of public transport management still has not happened and our public transport has deteriorated further.

The essential problem is that we have a public transport model based on 1960s conditions and, in my opinion, ORC has never been motivated to do anything other than token tinkering of what they perceive as a social service rather than a strategic business. The ORC has only done the minimum required to keep up with technology, it has persevered with endtoend bus routes that clog the city centre with largely empty buses, there is no central city loop service and timetables are aligned with operational efficiency rather than potential user needs. 2022 is a very different environment to 1962 and I believe it needs the DCC to take over the management to create a new urban transit model designed for the 21st century.

Tony Collins Dalmore

ORC manager transport Doug Rodgers replies:

The Otago Regional Council became responsible for public transport in Otago in 1989.

I can recall Citibus and using buses then, and would disagree the network was in any way the equal of today.

An indication of its success is the growth of users particularly in the last decade.

In 201011 total patronage was 1.5 million per annum, 10 years later the patronage reached 2.7m, which is a remarkable increase.

ORC has introduced the use of digital tracking of buses on the network and the use of the Transit

App for passengers, which shows in real time the position of buses on the network. The introduction of digital ticketing and the Bee Card system, has further made the use of buses in Otago much easier; and the Bee Card can be used across much of New Zealand.

This rollout of technology also includes the development of the bus hub and the digital screens installed there. Our use of technology within the network is similar and often better than that used elsewhere in New Zealand.

We will be implementing EV [electric vehicle] buses by the end of 2023, which forms part of our goal to reduce emissions from public transport and our responsibilities to our users.

Whilst the public transport network has commercial operators as partners with the ORC, we take pride in providing it in the form of an essential public service which services our community.

These obligations to our users and community remain in place. We will continue to improve services, grow patronage and service the community.

Dinosaurs

AS an ageing and somewhat pale reptile I feel the need to point out to Lou Scott (Letters, 11.8.22) that while I can agree with more of the sentiments expressed than he/she might imagine, I would suggest that puerile abuse does little for their credibility.

More concerning, however, is that the Otago Daily Times should consider the letter publishable when, according to some opaque criteria, other, more soberly expressed views on certain topics are invariably refused.

Harry Love North East Valley