Empty for 40% of its kilometres travelled: Why MyWay public transport is being cut in Hawke’s Bay

The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council MyWay van service is being replaced by new bus routes in January 2026.

An on-demand public transport service in Hastings is to end after failing to hit targets.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is scrapping its MyWay trial from January, after initially considering expanding it to Napier.

Figures show the underperforming MyWay, which has had success in other parts of New Zealand such as Timaru, was costing the council 159% more to operate than if it had kept its original bus routes.

The MyWay trial was launched with three vans in Hastings in 2022, which replaced three existing bus routes.

Customers could book a ride through a free app or by calling the council, with fares of $2 per person before increasing to $3 in May 2024.

A council spokesperson said the service generated strong customer satisfaction but it was financially unsustainable.

A review in 2024 showed MyWay was performing below its targets, had cost concerns and had created issues with equity and accessibility because it was app-based and there were no bus stops.

It had also not been well integrated with the council’s bus network and the diesel vans, combined with its low patronage, meant it wasn’t reducing council emissions, the review found.

Fare revenue increased by 140%, but this was against a target of a 298% rise.

The subsidy the council was paying per trip increased by 73%, against a target of 10%, the spokesperson said.

The review found 40% of the kilometres the vans had travelled up to 2024 had been while they were empty.

The service was now being scrapped from January 26, when the vans would be gone and the buses return.

HBRC transport manager Russell Turnbull said while some regular users were unhappy, the service could no longer be financially supported.

Hastings resident Alison Black cares for a young woman who relies on the vans twice weekly and said MyWay played a key role in giving her independence.

“She’s extremely upset that the service is ending and I don’t know how she’ll cope without it,” Black said.

Turnbull said the council recognised the decision would disappoint many.

Some 70% of those surveyed preferred MyWay as a service over fixed routes, though by 2024 just 3900 accounts had been created with the app and there were 1245 active riders.

“The MyWay service had always been a time-limited trial, and its closure was fully signalled in the Draft Regional Public Transport Plan released earlier this year,” Turnbull said.

“But we know how important reliable public transport is for our community, and we remain committed to improving it across the region.”

He said the council would work with the people affected to make sure everyone got plenty of notice.

GoBuddy ambassadors would be out in the community, including on MyWay vehicles, speaking with passengers about the new services.

The changes to the wider bus network were scheduled for the last weekend in January, ready for the start of the new school term and work year.

The spokesperson said the network was designed to provide efficient coverage, directly connecting residential neighbourhoods with major employment hubs, education facilities, retail centres and medical services.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.