New public transport service hitting Hastings streets in June

Hastings public transport could look very different within the coming months. Go Bus, buses parked outside Hastings Library and Civic Square. Photo / Warren Buckland.

From June 7 Hastings residents will be able to call up a bus just like they would a taxi.

The Hawke's Bay Regional Council is launching an innovative trial of new public transport service MyWay, to make it easier and more sustainable for the community to get around.

Regional councillor and Regional Transport Committee chairman Martin Williams said it is "very exciting" to bring this service to the Hastings community.

"This is a game-changer for the delivery of public transport, where people make their own timetable for when they want to catch the bus and where they want it to go," Williams said.

If the trial is successful and locals get on board with MyWay, the chairman believes it will provide a more user-friendly and accessible service for a broader range of people over the longer term and region.

MyWay users will only pay a $2 fare to go anywhere in Hastings under the trial, and people will not have to wait more than 25 minutes from booking to being picked up.

Buses will pick up and drop off customers within 200m of the travel source and destination.

The MyWay service will replace routes 16A, 16B and 17 in urban Hastings and operate Monday to Friday, 6am to 6pm. Customers can request a vehicle through the MyWay app or call the regional council.

Councillor Williams said getting more people out of cars in Hawke's Bay through "mode shift" is something the regional council takes seriously.

The HRC wants more people to use buses, ride bikes, or walk, mainly to make shorter everyday trips around town - helping environmentally and improving health and wellbeing.

"MyWay is our first step on the journey to change the way we think about and use public transport in Hawke's Bay," Williams said.

Regional council group manager policy and regulation Katrina Brunton said, "We've worked hard to meet the needs of our local community and provide flexibility and connection across Hastings."

Brunton explained MyWay uses technology to match customers travelling in the same direction and works out a flexible route to pick them up and drop them off close to their destination.

When using the app, they can track the vehicle and get updates on when they will arrive.

"Ahead of the service launching on June 7, the HRC is asking for people from across the community to trial the service for two weeks to iron out any issues and give us time to make changes before it opens to the wider public," Brunton said.

The HRC hopes to implement the same service in Napier next year.

To sign up to trial the service for free and get a $25 Bee Card top-up, or for more information on the service, head to mywayhb.nz.