This bus system is dead
To: Michael Wood, Minister of Transport Kia ora, Michael, Thanks for inviting submissions on the Public Transport Operating Model (PTOM) – which determines how New Zealand cities run their public transport systems. The link a regional councillor sent via Twitter got me to the Ministry of Transport website, but then it said, ‘‘Page Not Found’’, which is the internet equivalent of buses being ‘‘Not in Service’’. Have you contracted out the maintenance of your website to NZ Bus and Tranzurban, by any chance?
The reason I am writing is that I live in Wellington and our bus system, operating under the PTOM, is dead. Despite the soft messages from various well-meaning organisations, our bus system is not stunned or pining for the fjords. It is not resting and having a kip on its back. Nor is it tired and shagged out after a long journey.
Our bus system is definitely deceased, stone dead, bleeding demised, passed on, no more. It has ceased to be, expired, and gone to meet its maker. It is a stiff, bereft of life. It rests in peace pushing up daisies. It is a late, ex-bus system.
After the first Bustastrophe, which was caused by a shortage of drivers combined with a moronic redesign of routes, Wellingtonians thought the worst was behind them. But they were wrong. Even though they voted in a far more public transport-friendly regional council, and even though this council had some respite caused by Covid-19, things are at present worse than ever.
In May, more than 3400 services were cancelled. That’s more than double the peak of the first Bustastrophe. Some cancellations have been communicated as late as 10 minutes after the planned departure time. Commuters on some routes served by only one service – Churton Park, Kingston and O¯ whiro Bay, for example – see their bus cancelled, then the next one 30 minutes later. Then, when a bus finally makes it an hour later, the queue is so large that some passengers miss out. This is not how to run a transport system.
Many Wellingtonians have simply given up. They work at home or drive into town, increasing congestion. They buy bikes for themselves and scooters for their children.
Industrial relations are at an all-time low at one company. At the other, it’s all hands to the pump, with managers and former drivers helping out. Even then, cancellations from both companies continue. The city is at least 40 permanent drivers short.
Some have called for Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) to become more militant. Surely it could fine the errant bus companies more? Surely it could cancel the contracts and get new operators? Surely it could say ‘‘damn it’’ and run the buses itself?
Under PTOM, created by the previous National/ ACT government, the GWRC either can’t do this or else would find it extremely difficult and expensive. To cancel contracts awarded relatively recently could cost millions in litigation, and who do they give the new contracts to? There are essentially only two big companies in town, and they are both short-staffed.
Disgruntled passengers understand that drivers have a stressful job and should be paid more. But who would pay for higher wages? A recent offer by central and local government to top up the wages of drivers was rejected by one operator. But even if it was accepted, it sticks in the craw of many of us to see public funds going to a private company to pay its workers a decent wage when the company is backed by wealthy investors.
When these bus companies say they can’t offer drivers more money, are they crying wolf? We don’t know because, under the PTOM, that is commercially sensitive information. Even the regional councillors don’t know the exact amount that companies pay in fines for missing services, or how much profit, or not, they make.
A recent short-term solution is to run buses less frequently, which would increase reliability, but it’s simply a Band-Aid. And what happens if the number of driver vacancies increases?
Throw out PTOM, it doesn’t work. A publicly owned bus company could invest in clean buses, decent driver training and make the job a career. Yes, it would cost more, but it would be a much better investment than the false economy gained from the ‘‘race to the bottom’’ contracts issued at the last PTOM contract round.
A public body could even move towards lowcost or free public transport. How would we pay? Rates would rise, but so could parking charges. I’m all for a congestion tax, but it’s a big ask when our bus system is so bad. By offering the carrot of good public transport, the stick of a congestion tax would be more palatable.
Cheers,
Dave
Our bus system is not stunned or pining for the fjords. It is not resting and having a kip on its back.
PS: I reckon you could save about $785 million if you simply gave up one lane of the Auckland Harbour Bridge to cyclists and pedestrians. PPS: Doesn’t an e-bike subsidy make more sense than an e-car subsidy in congested cities?