By WAYNE THOMPSON
Waiheke Island commuters will no longer have a choice of ferry services from today.
The Pacific Ferries fast-ferry commuter service sailed for the last time last night to the laments of its supporters, who have enjoyed its cut-price fares since May last year.
The company will continue serving the island
with reduced weekend and public holiday sailings.
Pacific Ferries director Steve Young said he was disappointed that the service could not survive even after halving sailings in June to four.
Dropping the service meant a reduction in staff from 20 to four.
"They are from skippers to deckhands plus a couple of office staff. They are good people, most of whom have been with us since we started two years ago.
"They are all pretty annoyed about it. They think we should have carried on longer but the service was losing money and we just couldn't keep supporting it."
The high point for the service in its struggle for patronage against the longer established Fullers Group came 12 months ago, when it was breaking even at 300 passengers each morning.
But Mr Young said passenger numbers soon plunged to below 80 or 90 a trip as a result of the squeeze being applied by Fullers' monthly package, which includes bus journeys on the island and Stagecoach in Auckland City.
City bus operator Stagecoach owns 52 per cent of Fullers and some of the bus routes are subsidised by the Auckland Regional Council.
Mr Young said he complained - in vain - to the council and the Commerce Commission.
He said vessel fuel costs had doubled recently and a fare rise would have helped. But he knew that Fullers, with greater resources, would hold its prices.
Pacific Ferries will cut Waiheke weekend and holiday sailings to seven a day instead of the present 10.
It will sell one of its three 22m fast ferries.
Getting Auckland moving – Herald stories
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