Whanganui unlikely to trial on-demand public transport

Anthonie Tonnon says for environmental and cost benefits, public transport needs to have multiple people travelling together in the same vehicle. Photo / NZME

On-demand public transport has had varying degrees of success around the country but it is unlikely to be trialled in Whanganui.

A Horizons Regional Council report said an on-demand service – Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) – allowed passengers to request a ride via an online or phone booking platform, instructing the passenger to the nearest pick-up location.

“DRT is often described as corner-to-corner, unlike a taxi service which is typically door-to-door,” it said.

“Users often have to walk only a short distance to their nearest virtual stop, rather than going to a physical bus stop.

“This system ensures that everyone in the area has equal access to transportation.”

The Timaru service used 23 drivers and 10 vehicles, the report said.

While there were more passenger trips in Timaru in 2023/24 (267,000) compared to Whanganui (184,000), the level of investment in Timaru was higher – $3.05 million for 2023/24 compared to $2.3m in Whanganui.

At a meeting in October, the council’s passenger transport committee discussed introducing it locally.

Whanganui District Council representative Anthonie Tonnon said for environmental and cost benefits, public transport needed to have multiple people travelling together in the same vehicle.

On-demand could not do that to the level of a fixed route bus service, he said.

“With the Tide service, in our busiest hour, we use five buses but we move 60 people.

“Peak capacity with on-demand works out to be between four and five people per driver.

“To move 60 people in one hour you would need 12 drivers.”

Whanganui District Council representative on Horizons passenger transport committee, Anthonie Tonnon. Photo / NZME

Whanganui’s Te Ngaru The Tide, one of nine fixed routes in the city, is a high-frequency service running between Castlecliff and Aramoho.

The report said an 11 to 13-passenger on-demand service replaced three fixed routes in Hastings in 2022, costing users $3 per trip.

“This contract was initially a trial and has been extended until 2025 under the expectation it would not continue after this, as it costs twice the amount of a fixed bus route,” it said.

“While there was an initial spike in patronage compared to the previous fixed bus routes in Hastings, there hasn’t been significant growth after this point.”

Tonnon told the Chronicle in April a taxi bus service was tried in Whanganui and Palmerston North for about eight years in the 1990s.

“It didn’t go well and it’s a lesson to why small vehicles don’t work,” he said.

“A Toyota Hiace is a great vehicle but it’s designed for intimate groups – your family, your sports group, your band.”

The report said a South Tauranga on-demand service began an 18-month trial in March, costing $1.9m and using an eight-seat electric van,

It had an average of 1600 passengers a month compared to 200 passengers a month on the old bus route – Route 51 from Pyes Pā to Tauranga Crossing.

An on-demand service in Nelson was trialled last August but was cancelled in April this year.

There were 142 journeys in its first month but that fell to 48 in February.

“Lack of patronage was believed to be due to the success of a new bus network that was launched at the same time, as well as surrounding retirement villages sharing their own transport,” the report said.

A review of public transport in Whanganui is scheduled for this summer.

Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.