Here’s my free charter for making buses better

Here we are in week seven of the new bus regime and services are still getting cancelled and people are still visibly upset about the increased waiting times and new routes. When 300 people turn up to a meeting in Kilbirnie to vent their spleen, and howl with derision when the regional council’s public transport general manager suggests that the service has improved over the last week, it is obvious that the issue is not going away.

Meanwhile, all sorts of irresponsible suggestions are flying around as to what passengers can do. Someone recently suggested a rates strike. This is impractical, as it would be hard to organise and our rates pay for all sorts of things besides the buses.

However, there are things we can do individually and collectively. A bus ride is a contract between the operator and the passenger. As a passenger I must pay the fare and obey the law during the trip. The operator must turn up on time and safely deliver me to my destination. If I do not pay my fare for this transaction, I should be prosecuted.

However, if a bus is more than, say, 10 minutes late, the operator has failed, and breached the contract. I have not failed my side, I have just become cold, wet and grumpy.

When I ate in a busy restaurant in Newtown a couple of years ago, my wife and I waited for over 30 minutes for our meals. When I inquired, the maitre d’ was appalled to discover the mistake. We were immediately given a free entre´ e – the house speciality – and two free drinks with our delicious meals. That’s called excellent customer service, and I have recommended that restaurant to friends.

So what happens if I have to wait for a bus that is 30 minutes late? According to the rules, I still have to pay the full fare. Well, not any more.

From now on, if a bus is suddenly cancelled or unreasonably (more than 10 minutes) late, I’m awarding myself a free trip. I simply won’t tag on. If I wait at a hub and the advertised service is delayed, then my next trip is free. If a bus deviates from its route or gets lost, that’s my time being wasted. I will make the next trip free. If I am waiting for the advertised bus and a full one drives past because transport planners haven’t allowed for the increased number of passengers that have been predicted for years, the next trip is free.

I am not stealing by behaving this way, I am simply failing to pay because of unforeseen shortages in my wallet.

If my Snapper card is inaccurately billed, or doesn’t work as I exit the bus, I am being stolen from. So the next time I travel will be free. Yes, I could make a request to Snapper to retrieve that small amount of money lost but, assuming I earn a living wage, that would cost over $10 in labour.

But isn’t it illegal to travel on a bus without paying? Well, yes, but given the current bustastrophe, one must ask who are the real thieves – the poor passengers or the organisations, which are monopolies, receiving top dollar for delivering a sub-standard service?

Won’t bus drivers go ballistic if disgruntled passengers get on the bus and don’t pay? I’m not sure. They are tired and overworked. They feel ripped off by both their employers for their loss of penal rates and by the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) for not protecting their wages in the transfer of contracts. They have often been inadequately trained to learn new routes or brought from out of town, so feel stupid.

From now on, if a bus is suddenly cancelled or [too] late, I’m awarding myself a free trip. I simply won’t tag on.

If I was a driver, tired and without a toilet break for four hours, policing fares would be the last thing I would worry about. However, if a driver does query me I will say, ‘‘I’m not paying because this service is 20 minutes late/my last bus was cancelled/the bus before was full. I’m a ratepayer and this is not good enough. Thank you, driver.’’

But if I and a number of other commuters ride for free, won’t some people take advantage of it? In my experience, Wellington bus commuters are scrupulously honest. Our only fault is that we don’t complain often or loudly enough. If we have a bad experience, we don’t confront it head-on but grumpily head home and berate the buses to our loved ones or let off steam on social media. The odd justified free ride will be good for our mental health.

It’s time to give the GWRC a financial incentive to improve service, as money seems to be the only thing they understood at contract time. Besides, if service improves, as the GWRC staff say it has, then no-one will be riding for free. No-one wants to rip off the system, we just want a system that works, and the present one clearly doesn’t. Thank you, driver.