Many people replied to the tweet with their own frustrations, complaining other lines were also plagued by long wait times caused by many cancellations.
Auckland Mayor Brown was among the replies, claiming he will be “seeking answers” regarding the incident.
— Mayor Wayne Brown (@MayorWayneBrown) May 2, 2023
RNZ earlier this year reported that on an average weekday in February this year, 1085 Auckland buses listed in timetables failed to show up.
According to critics, the data is evidence of urban bus networks in crisis. On the worst day in Auckland, one in every nine scheduled buses didn’t arrive.
Auckland transport commentator and blogger Matt Lowrie, who has written about the city’s transport woes for more than a decade, told RNZ Auckland’s services as “a system in crisis”. He worried the constant cancellations could put public transport use into a death spiral.
“We need to do a lot better job at how we run buses so that we can get better transport outcomes.”
Data obtained from Auckland Council's GTFS API and LGOIMA requests. Cancelled trips based on an 'effect' of 'No Service' and text indicating a cancellation. Illustration / RNZ
Public Transport Users Association’s Jon Reeves told RNZ that unreliable bus services push people into cars.
“It means people are deciding to drive their cars rather than take the bus and take the risk of not getting to work, university or to a medical appointment or a hospital.”
The bus companies that operate many of the routes that were cancelled admit there is a problem.
Auckland Transport metro optimisation manager Richard Harrison, however, insisted the city’s bus system was in good shape.
“I’m a user of the bus services, I would describe them as great. They’re constrained, they’re challenged, but we’re still running 12,000 services a day,” Harrison told RNZ.
When asked whether “great” was a disconnect with the reality of daily cancellations frequently in excess of 1000, he explained Auckland Transport had spread trip suspensions and cancellations across the network.
Commuters at an Auckland bus stop told RNZ when they can, they prefer to use different ways to commute. “I’ve been cycling, but my bike got a flat tyre yesterday,” said one commuter, who said the infrequent buses influenced her switch to a bike.
“I just drive now because there’s no point. Every bus that goes past me is full,” said another commuter, on a rare non-driving day.
