Tauranga organisations offering staff transport alternatives

Ngāi Te Rangi kaimahi (staff) Tamati Maangi drives the Ngāi Te Rangi "work waka" when required.

Organisations around Tauranga are offering “practical alternatives” for staff in an attempt to reduce traffic congestion and save on fuel and parking.

Ngāi Te Rangi has turned one of its vans into the “work waka”, taking staff to and from work.

Iwi chief executive Paora Stanley said six staff used the service and that number was growing.

He said he decided to provide the transport service for a raft of reasons, including saving staff time and money.

“Like other Kiwis, the rising cost of living is impacting some of our staff. We have three vans, so one of those is being used to pick up and drop off people at work.”

He said a lot of staff were caught in the daily grind of sitting in heavy traffic.

“You just need to look out your car window to see that most of those vehicles only have one passenger: the driver.”

Stanley said this was why traffic congestion in Tauranga was so bad.

Tamati Maangi drives the van when required and said the initiative had saved him about $100 a week.

“I can put more food on the table for my whānau.”

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Tauranga City Council offers staff subsidised bus Bee Cards for any work-related travel. Photo / NZME

Tauranga City Council said other businesses and organisations should consider doing what Ngāi Te Rangi was doing.

Infrastructure general manager Nic Johansson said reducing traffic congestion was not solely about shortening travel times, but also building a “resilient, accessible city”.

“By offering practical alternatives, we aim to make it easier for those who can shift modes to do so, and more efficient for those who must drive.”

Johansson said the council offered staff practical support.

“We encourage staff to try alternative transport options such as busing, cycling, walking or carpooling.”

Staff could take advantage of end-of-trip facilities for bikes and scooters, flexible working and subsidised bus Bee Cards for any work-related travel.

“We continue to actively promote cost-effective options of busing and cycling or carpooling for staff members who live in the same suburbs.”

Mercury Energy’s chief people experience and technology officer, Fiona Smith, said many team members, including in Tauranga, had made flexible arrangements with a mix of working in the office and remotely.

Staff could also work flexible hours that suited their families or enabled them to travel outside of peak traffic times.

“We’ve trialled options supporting our team in their commute and are currently looking at next steps.”

Kaitlyn Morrell is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.