… now we need to tell people about it! This guest post by Pete Moth (Head of PT development, Auckland Transport) originally appeared on LinkedIn, and is republished here with kind permission.
Cast your mind back to late 2016.
Auckland has just electrified its rail network, and the 2024 Olympics will shortly be announced as being hosted by Paris. On top of the rail network, however, travelling on frequent transit in Auckland was difficult – or non-existent. Just nine frequent “corridors” existed, with less than 15% of the population living within walking distance of “turn up and go” transit.
Turn up and Go Transit is basically transit without the need for a timetable. Services run so frequently that passengers do not need to worry when they turn up at their stop. In Auckland, we currently define this as a service that runs “at least every 15 minutes, 7am-7pm, 7 days a week”. There are ambitions to improve the definition to “at least every ten minutes”, to be true turn-up-and-go – but for now, we use 15 minutes. Which is still pretty good.
In this post, a frequent route is defined as a route that runs at least every 15 minutes, 7am-7pm, 7 days a week. Routes with branches (such as 22N and 22R) are treated as a single frequent route.
The great thing about Frequent Transit Networks (or FTN) is that you can plan your lives around them. They can determine whether or not you own a car (or a second car). They can influence where you live. They can be used for work, education, leisure, retail or family-based trips. Some real estate adverts now talk about “easy access to Link buses” in their property descriptions – I would love this message to extend to ALL frequent routes in Auckland not just link buses! And with recent bus fan pages appearing, (such as #ifuckinglovethe70) it is clear that frequent transit resonates with people.
Back in 2016 we had nine FTN corridors: the Northern Express, Inner Link, Outer Link, City Link, and some routes linking Takapuna, New Lynn, Onewa Rd, Pakuranga and Otahuhu to the city centre.
The network developments between 2016 and 2019 (the roll out of what is known as Auckland’s New Network) saw huge increases in FTN routes; a whopping 31 of them were on our streets by the end of 2019. Frequent routes appeared on orbital routes such as Mt Albert Rd; on Waiheke Island; to the airport; along Tamaki Drive; and to Howick.
For the New Network, many single-seat journeys (on often very infrequent services) were replaced by the need for transferring. At the time of the New Network, Auckland also introduced a different fare system based on zones to enable free transfers between services. Transferring between services therefore does not cost you any more.
During this time, PT patronage in Auckland rose from around 80 million boardings per year to 100 million. Boardings on the FTN grew disproportionately higher than the rest of the network.
Subsequent to this, we have added route 64 (Newmarket – Kingsland), the Airport Link, route 38 (Onehunga – Airport), route 36 (Manukau to Onehunga). The image below represents the FTN as of 2022. You can play spot the difference – 22 new routes were added between 2016 and 2022.
As documented by the excellent Shaun Baker in his post “Frequency is Freedom“, the FTN has continued to develop since 2022. The formation of the Climate Action Transport Targeted Rate (CATTR) in 2022 has given the opportunity to increase this further, through the creation of the following new routes:
- Route 74: Glen Innes to Onehunga, via Sylvia Park
- Route 74: Glen Innes to Britomart, via Kepa Rd
- WX1: Westgate to City Centre, via SH16
- Route 13: Henderson to Te Atatu Peninsula
- Route 11T/W: Westgate to City Centre, via Great North Rd
Last month, our FTN reached 40 routes, with the creation of route 94, running between Takapuna, Northcote and Beach Haven. With this, every Kāinga Ora development site in the Auckland region is now served by Frequent Transit. With this, we now have around 45% of the Auckland population within 500m (or walking distance) of an FTN route. That is almost half of Auckland who can plan their life around public transport. Weekend trips to the beach with family (Tamaki Link, 83, 50), trips to the zoo (18 or 11) and trips to Westgate shopping centre (WX1, 11) are now possible 7 days a week, at turn-up-and-go frequency. For many trips, you do not need a car.
We have seen some great patronage news stories recently, showing that “Frequency is Freedom” – provide turn-up-and-go frequency, and people will vote with their feet:
- WX1: averaging around 3,000 boardings per day, and the route hit 500,000 boardings within just 8 months of opening
- 94: patronage is averaging close to 2,000 per day, considerably higher than the 1,700 we were seeing before the service improvement
- 11T/W: collectively, this route has seen nearly 600,000 boardings since introduction in November 2023
- 13: will hit 500,000 boardings within 10 months of its operation, on current trends.
The map below shows the 40 routes in all their glory.
And there is more to come. Through the CATTR, Auckland Transport aim to create three new Frequent routes in the next 12 months:
- 67 Between New Lynn and Onehunga (upgraded 670)
- 65 along Balmoral Rd (upgraded 650)
- 12 between Henderson and Constellation, via Westgate (upgrade 120 – a much-needed Upper Harbour connection. Route 120 carries more PAX than many Frequent routes)
Later in 2026, we aim to deliver several frequent bus routes in South Auckland to bring places such as Manurewa, Highbrook, Drury and Paerata onto the FTN map.
By 2027, more than half of Aucklanders will be within walking distance of a bus route that departs at least every 15 minutes, 7am-7pm, 7 days a week.
We have a good FTN network, and one that is very different to only eight years ago. Yet many Aucklanders simply do not know about this network. Off-peak public transport mode share across Auckland remains pitifully low – around 2% – compared to our peak PT mode share of roughly 12%. The creation of an expanding FTN provides a huge opportunity for more off-peak trips to be taken by PT. With increased flexible working patterns, there is an increased demand to travel outside of peak times. And now we have a network that provides a turn-up-and-go frequency all day, every day.
My request to you all is to please raise awareness of our Frequent Transit Network. Whether you be a real estate agent, an urban planner, an engineer, a doctor, a physio – or from any other walk of life – there is a good chance you have a bus on your doorstep that could take you where you need to go. Auckland has changed. But its behaviour has largely remained car-centric. We all have an advocacy role in changing this.
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I feel like AT has access to some of the best advertising available but doesn’t use it well. I even think road markings could help; people like trains because it is obvious where they go, maybe road markings can do the same for buses (e.g. print route numbers under Bus Lane markings). Also bus stops could have a full window advert such as “Frequent: 67 to New Lynn”; not just for new routes, but as a standard on all routes.
I keep hearing from people that “Auckland public transport is crap” even though they have never actually tried it. It has got to the point where it is quite usable these days (although it could easily be a lot better)
It’s still crap the trains are cancelled almost every other day and forget the weekends they almost always are rail busses. Then there is the cost $6 for many trips is simply too high for such a slow service. Taking a group into the city it’s cheaper to pay the $24 in parking than have 4 adults pay $12 each for public transport return. Even if it got better the car is still quicker meaning people will still probably perceive it as being crap.
“Also bus stops could have a full window advert such as “Frequent: 67 to New Lynn”; not just for new routes, but as a standard on all routes.”
Many bus shelters and all bus stations, display appropriate network maps, that display all of the routes in that area. Each route has a unique color.
Here is an example: https://at.govt.nz/projects-initiatives/past-auckland-projects-and-initiatives/new-public-transport-network/new-network-for-the-north-shore.
The team that was responsible for creating and maintaining these maps, was made redundant, and the printing and installation budget was diverted to building the AT Mobile app, using an outside software developer.
Each bus stop also has a “destination flag” that is displayed. This shows the route numbers and destinations of each of the bus routes that service that stop. This signage is also color coded to match the route maps.
Signage experiments were also conducted at some bus shelters outside Auckand Uni, Symonds Street, to include large header signs that stated route soecific info. ie: “Route 27H & 27W, to MtEden, Three Kings and Lynfield”. Even when standing directly under these panels, during research, some students still mentioned that they didn’t know what bus stop to use, as they were too busy looking at their phones.
Yes whenever I hear Aucklanders complain about their “terrible” public transport I’m confident that they’re not PT users. The service offering now, compared with ten years ago is like chalk and cheese. Of course, there’s always room for improvement with the delivery (when was that ever not so, and are you listening, KiwiRail?), but the offering is fantastic compared to what used to be. I can truly say, as a PT user across literally the whole region, that electrification and the New Network have changed my life. Seriously!
I hope the CRL will fix many of the rail issues. It still seems crap to many because as the data tells us we make a lot of trips to Sydney and Melbourne as NZERs and the difference is night and day. People need to realise we will never have a system as good as those because we don’t have the population to support it. Electrification and Double tracking made the single largest difference before that rail was seen as some sort of holiday ride only for fun never really a serious option. Might have to go back to using diesel busses as the country is well short on electricity.
Melbournes buses are complete shit. And because two thirds of their city only has buses, it means their transit network is (on average) complete shit.
Sure, if you fly in the for weekend and only go in the core of the city that has trams or trains it seems fine, but on the whole… awful.
Auckland is the opposite. The ‘lowly workhorse’ bus is actually quite good and easy to use at any time to get around all of the city. But there’s no tram lines in the middle of town to appeal to tourists.
Unfortunately the CRL won’t fix reliability.
However Auckland’s buses already run seven days a week and cover much more of the city.
And even if you combine Melbourne’s buses, trams and trains, that city has far fewer frequent services than Auckland.
https://melbourneontransit.blogspot.com/2024/08/un-181-how-auckland-is-soundly-beating.html
I am not a regular user of public transport, but the last six times I have used it , five of those resulted in having to take or complete the journey by alternative means. This is what keeps me away from public transport. AT is involved, say no more !!!
Sounds like pretty bad luck 5/6 times, but it may depend on what you are trying to do and when and where.
Do you expect that you bus trip will pick you up at the end of your road, and then drop you off exactly outside where you want to go? Thats called a taxi or an Uber
“And there is more to come. Through the CATTR, Auckland Transport aim to create three new Frequent routes in the next 12 months:”
In 2021/2022 policy was intended to fund 10 frequent bus lines and 4 local bike “nextworks”.
Has AC and AT achieved this?
AT has no ability to independently raise funds. It would be happy to expand the frequent service network but does not control the purse-strings. If AT/WK agree to provide the funding, then things advance, but it’s a cheap shot to blame AT for the miserly approach adopted (especially) by WK/Central Government.
CATTR is an extra rate that Auckland elected to pay, to build climate resilience and infrastructure. AT have the funds but have not delivered.
Jak what are you on about? They are being delivered and that is what this article is about. The 74, 76, 94 are all frequent routes from CATTR and more are coming including the 67 in November.
Omega.
The CATTR projects were specifically sold as being thing that could be started quickly.
There not being 10 frequent bus lanes is AT and AC deceiving the public.
We still haven’t had any movement on the CATTR bike infrastructure. This despite the “nextworks” being selected due to already having significant analysis/planning. In years time, nothing will be built.
Putting the arguments of detailed delivery aside, I was thinking how good this targeted rate is in getting these things done without the likelihood of funds getting siphoned off into other projects or plans getting screwed over by the government. Especially good with some other routes having been stopped or trimmed back over the years, some of the local connections should get a boost with these frequent ones feeding to & from them.
Grant
Yeah they a fantastic idea… but AT are simply not willing to build bike infrastructure… so they don’t and the general public has zero way to come back to them about this.
List here what they doing, they have to be
https://at.govt.nz/projects-initiatives/region-wide-auckland-projects-and-initiatives/climate-action-transport-targeted-rate-cattr/cattr-cycling-programme
To qualify, projects must:
be high impact
have wide regional benefits
address inequity
be quick to implement.
So guess a number of cycle project may not qualify, but good things take time as they say.
Grant
The way in which the mayor at the time sold this was, “pay this extra rate, get these things”. The are much the same as they were before CATTR was in place… but they have just not been built. AT like to do multiple consultations on every meter. This process is simply ridiculous.
Also:
“The cycling programme will deliver approximately 18km of new separated cycleways, plus a local area network in New Lynn.“
I can’t wait to find out what a “local area network” is. I bet it won’t be protected cycleways on arterial roads connecting to other bike infrastructure.
The trains don’t run every 15 mins, so they’re not FTN. Also they’re still cancelled most weekends. When is that going to end? Can someone write a post on what’s going on please?
Zero weekend trains and rolling planned and in planned disruptions: is new normal unfortunately.
Kiwirail/AT/govt have made the choice that rail to move people is only of value when it decreases peak traffic flows. Covid/ Working from home have made it easier for them to not provide serivces at any time.
It’s definitely a great progress. 15mins is getting close to ‘turn-up-and-go’. I think the new 13 with its 10mins all day and 7-8mins at peak is much closer to a proper turn-up-and-go frequency.
Having said that – having proper bus lanes along most of those routes would help greatly to both reduce the travel time and improve reliability, as even now the buses get hopelessly unreliable and stuck in traffic, even on the WX1.
Yes and not having proper bus lanes is a missed opportunity in promoting PT. I was on the WX1 on Saturday morning stuck in the usual Saturday moring traffic whilst empty beside us was the Peak hour Mon-Fri only bus lane. How many of those stuck in cars might of had an ” aha’ moment if our bus had glided past them?
For all the justified negativity about rail, Auckland does have a very good bus system. The coloured link buses, the FTNs and the regular services plugging the gap. It’s fairly easy to get around, to most placed anyway.
CRL will bring rail back into the conversation, once up and running. But we are just going to have to do better with what we have got because we are not going to any new rail line anytime soon. The right is ideologically opposed and has an eye patch on when talking costs v benefits; the left doesn’t know how to get them started and even if they could, can’t bring the public along. The next line will be Avondale Southdown and only because freight will be driving its inclusion, at least in the eyes of the beaurecrats.
So more Busways and 12hr buslanes at the expense of parking on major routes
If the figures are right, then there is definitely an improvement over the last several years.
In the UK there is a bus every 9 minutes between Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch and VV. This is about 0630 to 2300 seven days. The population over that route is much lower than what could be provided (say) north to south/ east to west in Auckland without terminating in the city. So, could there be a service provided on a similar basis from Silverdale to Papakura or even on to Pukekohe? This could be NS1W via a western route and NS1E via an eastern route. Similarly Pakuranga across the isthmus to Onehunga/Airport. The UK example are SLF single Deckers with about 43 seats and about 20 standees. I may have missed it. Does(or has) AT already tried this out? I know the N to S route would be long and could be a problem with timekeeping, but with bus lanes where possible could this be a goer?
There has being no announcement or I have missed it of the NAL reopening it was meant to happen in late July. Given the line has being shut for over a year I wonder what happened to there customers it seems unlikely freight volumes will build back anytime soon so the likelihood of needing the Avondale Southdown line is preceeding into the far future or never. Still if was ever required it could provide a useful shortcut across town. But then a bus from the Wx through Waterview to Otahuhu could also work.
Many AT bus stops now incorporate digital signage. AT should make it a condition of the rental of that space that AT has a minimum of say 25% of the screen time to display public transport information and public transport promotional material.
From an IT perspective it would be incredibly easy to include real time information on those displays, the information is already available via the my AT app and each stop With the latch format electronic billboard could show a map showing the location of buses that were next to arrive at that stop.
I am sure AT could create any additional API calls to allow developers to access the appropriate information for very little cost.
“Many AT bus stops now incorporate digital signage. AT should make it a condition of the rental of that space that AT has a minimum of say 25% of the screen time to display public transport information and public transport promotional material”.
This is already in place. The allocation of display space is used for network wide messages
“From an IT perspective it would be incredibly easy to include real time information on those displays, the information is already available via the my AT app and each stop”
This info is already displayed on the digital PID, located at most stops.
“Many AT bus stops now incorporate digital signage. AT should make it a condition of the rental of that space that AT has a minimum of say 25% of the screen time to display public transport information and public transport promotional material.
“From an IT perspective it would be incredibly easy to include real time information on those displays, the information is already available via the my AT app and each stop”
That info is displayed on the digital PID display panel, located at most bus stops.
“With the latch format electronic billboard could show a map showing the location of buses that were next to arrive at that stop”.
This info is available on the AT Mobile app.
Trials of smaller tablet sized displays were made, however the cost to install and maintain the units was prohibitive.
See: https://www.papercast.com/e-paper-display-applications/bus-stops/
The project manager’s role was disestablished.
“I am sure AT could create any additional API calls to allow developers to access the appropriate information for very little cost”.
APIs are already available to developers..see: https://dev-portal.at.govt.nz
People often highlight how wonderful Melbourne’s public transport is – seduced, no dubt, by the highly-popular tram network. However, an interesting blog post I read a few days ago from Melbourne suggests that Melbourne’s bus system is atrocious. Yes, they have a great tram system, but there are very few bus routes that operate at “frequent” levels, and even then, public transport on a Sunday morning does not become “frequent” on applicable routes until 11am. They look to Auckland as the “stand-out” city in Australasia which has done fantastic things since 2016 to improve the number and reach of frequent service routes. So let’s be careful what we wish for, and not just blithely aim to “ape” other cities.
Buses are definitely the low hanging fruit of Melbourne! Rail needs to be more frequent, trams need a few short extensions and a bit of priority.
There is also vast new suburban areas of the city that are car dependant from the get go. Having lived in both tho, Melbourne is far superior imo.
Here’s the post by the redoubtable Darren Davis of ‘Adventures in Transitland’:
“There’s much to like about Melbourne’s public transport network….but the reality of Melbourne’s public transport is that it is a very mixed bag, and at the bottom of that bag is the humble bus, the workhorse of local connectivity in outer parts of Melbourne.”
Have a read – very relevant in the context of Pete’s post. The short answer is that, as far as buses are concerned, Auckland is doing a much better job. Well done to all involved.
https://adventuresintransitland.substack.com/p/melbourne-a-great-public-transport?r=27c27t&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true
I think this is the post:
https://melbourneontransit.blogspot.com/2024/08/un-181-how-auckland-is-soundly-beating.html
The author compares frequent services in Melbourne and Auckland. If frequent is defined as arriving at least every 15 minutes between 7 am and 7 pm, Monday to Sunday, Auckland’s buses beat Melbourne’s buses, trams and trains combined – by a lot.
The comments on peak versus off-peak mode shares in the post are interesting. I think (and it is “think” because AT doesn’t publish route level, time of day patronage data) that the FTN works well in terms of supporting all-day demand on the Auckland Isthmus, but sense that on other places, the off-peak demand in Auckland just doesn’t exist to support this level of service. For my commuting, with a connective train-bus trip to west Auckland, the current network works really well. There is absolutely a case for Saturday bus / transit lanes and also 3pm-4pm on weekdays to support school peak.
I moved next to a train station 4 years ago so that I can enjoy the benifits of turn up and go transit. I dont catch the train anywhere near as much as I would like because they are always cancelled.
(typo note, the replacement 67 bus will be from New Lynn to Ōtāhuhu, not Onehunga, as it’s a full replacement for the 670 – it’s criminal it’s taken this long for AT to realise that crosstown services are actually important)
I love and use the 66, for Unitec or from Sylvia Park to home and or to from Penrose station. I hear it’s going to get high frequency extended later at night with the OuterLink changes from memory. That will be a plus fee time caught out with after 7 pm 1/2 hour stuff.
*few times I’ve been caught out
We actually had New Networks in 2014 (Aug) Green Bay & Titirangi and 2015 (Oct) Hibiscus Coast but not any frequent routes on those. Also I don’t think the NX1 should show all the way to Hibiscus Coast as it’s not 15 mins 7/7/7 as far as I know yet? Actually when did they launch the NX1 or equivalent itself?
OK, looked up old timetables etc, yes, NX1 only went to Hibiscus Coast after their New Network was launched (Every 30 minutes, Every 15 minutes during peak).
I catch the 5.15am 30 Bus from Onehunga to Queen Street/The Civic to work Mon – Fri. Takes only 25 minutes. Minimal traffic, no congestion, no problem, no stress. Off peak travel is great if you can use it.
The Onehunga train to Newmarket service is not frequent & reliable at 30 minute frequency going to work in the city. Although the Western & Southern trains to Britomart from Newmarket to the city are frequent & give me train travel options.
Catch the Southern train from Britomart after to Penrose after work. Xfer to 66 Bus to Victoria Street bus stop & walk 5 minutes to Grey Street in Onehunga home.
30 bus home from Queen/The Civic takes 30 minutes or more to get past Newmarket from leaving the city. Takes over a hour to get to Onehunga during peak times.
Agree that all frequent bus routes should be every 10 minutes for a turn up & go transit. More bus lanes & traffic light priority measures will improve all bus services. Also allowing buses right of way when indicating to leave bus stops would speed up their travel.
South auckland needs better bus services, a.t should introduce a bus service to auckland zoo/motat via sh20 from either manurewa or manukau
Yes, a few of us have suggested in the past something for SH 20 in various forms, maybe with very limited stops.
AT seem to have a BRT-lite service from New Lynn – Onehunga – Sylvia Park – Pakuranga via SH20 on their wish-list, as well as a Sylvia Park – Otara – Manukau – Papakura via SH1 service, an Onehunga – Mangere – Airport services, and the AirportLink extension to Botany (as per the Transport and Infrastructure Committee 07 December 2023, Item 11) if that counts for anything for South Auckland.
South Akl buses and trains dont start early enough. If you need to be somewhere by 6-630am its a no go by public transport. See the 1000s of cars on SH20 in both directions before 6am.
Id catch the bus to work in Manukau, but I would have to leave the night before to get to work on time.
You have raised a good point Patman,how is it acceptable to have a bus that can take twice as long to do the same journey ,because of “traffic”. Fix it with bus lanes.
We don’t even need the expense of bus lanes to fix some immediate problems. I caught a bus on Wellesley Street tonight (opposite “new” train station) and it was 8 minute late – just since leaving Wynyard Quarter on time. I regularly watch buses on the app taking ages to cover the short distance. I think the traffic lights are an issue on this route and in some other areas, and using technology could be a great help. I’ve heard talk about linking buses to traffic lights, but not sure if it is available yet?
Auckland has had the technology to control the traffic lights for buses ever since the first generation of real time display boards went in years ago.
Problem is they just don’t have the cojones to actually prioritise buses over cars. The traffic guys wail about one network and efficiency and gridlock and whatever, but basically they won’t give up any car signal time.
Years ago they tried to give buses priority without affecting cars, which is to say bus priority but with car priority first. Needless to say it didn’t work.
So yeah, Auckland already has ‘smart’ signals for buses, but it has dumb traffic engineers and managers who won’t let go of car supremacy at the lights.
Yes, they have optimised a pile of intersections generally apparently and also implemented priority for buses if they are late and approaching traffic lights. The real issue is too many cars trying to go in too many directions in the city centre I suspect in your case.
From the AT presentation to council inf, & transport committee: 30% reduction in travel time where they have implemented bus boosters. 20 new smart intersections, for vehicles peds and bikes.
Cycle detection at Nelson St = 40 sec reduction in wait time for vehicles turning left & a green wave for cyclists.
I think we’ve reached a point where improving PT frequencies will make diminishing increases in patronage until we address some fundamental Auckland issues including our land use and excessive roading capacity. As long as travelling by car is so quick/cheap on the weekends (due to our overbuilt free motorway network), buses/trains just cannot compete. Destinations are also very spread out in a low density land use pattern where parking is easy and mostly free, particularly on weekends. Best we can do at this point (short of removing motorway lanes) is build higher densities/mixed use destinations around PT hubs, and increasing weekend bus priority on arterials to speed up bus travel times compared to private car.
I think there is plenty of scope for improving bus priority outside of peak times. While you are right, there are many situations where carparking is still a right pain at malls such as 277 and Sylvia Park on weekends. Better priority and frequency would likely at least lure some people out of their cars.