Public transport in New Zealand

There are no rapid transit metros and no remaining tram (i.e., light rail) systems active anywhere in New Zealand (except for some museum systems and a tourist-oriented service at Wynyard Quarter in Auckland and in Christchurch), though trams (and their horse-drawn predecessors) once had a major role in New Zealand's public transport.

[1][2] New Zealand has one of the lowest rates of public transport use in the world, even lower than the United States in 2001, and 90% of urban trips were by private cars as of 2018.

[3][4] Public transport usage began falling in New Zealand around 1960, coinciding with a period when private cars became more affordable to Kiwis, and adoption of them rapidly increased.

Public transport usage continued falling throughout the decades afterwards, and the usage drop was compounded with less attractive services due to greater congestion in city centres as a result of private cars, higher fares, and aging vehicle fleets.

A contributing factor has been a disorganised and fragmented governance structure around public transport, leading to indecision and a lack of a uniform national and regional strategy.

[4] With this greater interest, public transport services have begun to be expanded and improved,[7] and in some regions, like Auckland and Otago, patronage has been steadily increasing.

[9] In 2001, controversial analyst Wendell Cox described the Auckland Regional Council's (ARC) plan to increase public transport to the downtown area to 20% of total share as "a simply unachievable goal".

The Auckland public transport system is New Zealand's largest by total passenger volume, although not by trips per capita.

The route network is dense, covering all parts of the Auckland urban area (including Waiheke Island).

The Museum of Transport and Technology subsequently constructed a 2 km heritage line linking its two sites and Auckland Zoo.

[16] The Christchurch public transport system is based principally around buses, although the city also has a ferry service and a heritage tramway.

There are around 40 routes in total,[17] A free shuttle in the central city with hybrid-electric Designline buses was formerly operated until the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

[18] Since 12 November 2007, Christchurch has been carrying out the first New Zealand trial for bikes on buses,[19] which amongst other things gives cyclists access through the Lyttelton road tunnel.

There are 20 routes, covering the Dunedin area (including Mosgiel and Port Chalmers), plus a service to Waikouaiti and Palmerston.

Services are operated privately by Ritchies and Go Bus, on routes and fares determined by Otago Regional Council, under the brand name "Orbus".

New Plymouth has a bus system with nine routes covering most of its urban area, operated by Tranzit Coachlines.

[32] There are also bus services to other towns in the New Plymouth District; Bell Block, Inglewood, Ōakura and Waitara.

New Plymouth formerly operated electric trams over four routes between 10 March 1916 and 23 July 1954, as well as New Zealands only regional trolleybus system between 1950 and 1967.

[33] Its public transport system, organised under the Metlink brand, consists of buses, trains, ferries, and a funicular (the Wellington Cable Car).

The most widely used form of public transport is buses, which are operated mainly by Tranzurban Wellington and NZ Bus (both using multiple brands).

[34] Wellington's commuter rail network carries passengers between the central city and suburban areas to the north, as well as to smaller towns in Wairarapa.

The ferry service operates across Wellington Harbour, connecting Eastbourne, Matiu/Somes Island, and the central city.

Bus transport in New Zealand was initially a free, open, unregulated market with few legal barriers to entry until the Motor-omnibus Act 1926[72] which introduced the requirement for all bus companies to hold a licence issued by the Licensing Authorities, which set fares, routes and frequencies.

The Transport Amendment Act 1983[74] stripped the ability of any government to set fares and operators did not have to demonstrate any need for a service.

Some municipalities disposed of their incumbent bus operations, but Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington, and Auckland decided to corporatise their bus services into limited companies and delegate operations and fare-setting for commercial (i.e. unsupported) routes to these companies, but regional councils retained the ability to subsidise and intervene on socially-necessary services.

[88] The report recommended subsidies to relieve traffic congestion, air pollution and provide for the poor.

[89] In 1971, 65 private bus operators lobbied Sir Keith Holyoake to implement its recommendations on capital subsidies.