Mobile bank rolls into rural towns Locations and schedule
One of New Zealand’s major banks is rolling into rural towns hit hard by branch closures, bringing back old-school banking services with a twist.
A decline in foot traffic and an increase in online banking has led to a shake-up in the banking industry for over a decade.
Cheques have already obsolete, leading to fears it could become harder for people to get cash and the elderly are left anxious and unable to adapt to the new digital norm.
To combat those fears, a fourwheeled bank, also known as the BNZ mobile bank, is travelling around the country allowing customers to meet face to face with bankers.
For the next three weeks, the converted Mercedes Sprinter camper van will circuit smaller Waikato towns.
Speaking from the mobile bank in O¯ po¯ tiki, where its BNZ branch stood for 146 years, BNZ head of Bay of Plenty and Coromandel Lachie McKenzie said the mobile bank targets towns that have lost or are set to lose a bank, but it’s also going to towns that have never had a branch before.
People may feel like the banks are abandoning small towns but to roll into the main street again and help customers on their ‘‘digital journey’’ is ‘‘pretty neat’’.
McKenzie said more than 90 per cent of banking is done online, and only a small portion of customers walk into a branch.
The cashless banking bus has been travelling around the upper North Island since 2019 after launching the service in Manawatu¯ .
In February 2020, it moved to Northland where it has travelled around for the past year.
It provides every banking service except for cash deposits and withdrawals, which will be covered by parking the vehicle near an ATM. It’s set up like an office – with desks and meeting spaces available.
The mobile bank aims to park outside the BNZ ATM at each location.
Week one, May 10 – 14
Today – Opotiki, 11am-2:30pm
Tuesday – Katikati, 10am-3pm Wednesday – Te Aroha, 10:30am-3pm Thursday – Waihi, 10am-2:30
Friday – Tauranga city, 10am-3pm
Week two, May 17 – 21
Monday – Opotiki, 11am-2:30pm
Tuesday – Katikati 10am-3pm Wednesday – Te Aroha 10:30am-3pm Thursday – Waihi 10am-2:30pm
Week three, May 24 – 27
Monday – Coromandel 10am-3pm
Tuesday – Coromandel 10am-3pm Wednesday – Whangamata 10am-3pm Thursday – Whangamata 10am-3pm
‘‘I’m personally very proud that we can do some things here to support local communities,’’ McKenzie said.
In due course, two more vans will be added to the fleet, with one touring the South Island.
The scheme was partially inspired by BNZ’s history.
The bank opened New Zealand’s first mobile bank, run out of a caravan, in 1943 to meet the needs of World War II soldiers.
Eventually, the service fell away, until it relaunched its new purpose built mobile bank in 2019, bringing banking services directly to customers in unique locations.
In November, BNZ announced 38 branches across the country would close.
Ten branches remain in Waikato, including Matamata, Cambridge, Chartwell, Hamilton, Frankton, Morrinsville, Te Awamutu, Te Ku¯ iti, Thames and The Base.
In Waikato alone, BNZ, Kiwibank, ASB, ANZ and Westpac, have closed more than a dozen branches in recent years.
Kiwibank flagged it will close seven branches, ASB planned to reduce hours at Matamata, Te Awamutu and Cambridge and close its Morrinsville branch. ANZ reduced hours across four branches, closed seven and three became dual service. Westpac closed branches in O¯ torohanga, Putaruru, Raglan, Te Aroha and Hamilton East.
The cashless banking bus has been travelling around the upper North Island since 2019.