Auckland Transport has announced a number of initiatives to improve customer experience, increase security and safety and reduce vandalism and fare evasion. These initiatives will begin on the rail network and will later be expanded across all AT Metro public transport services including bus and ferry.
Last week Auckland Transport and its rail operator Transdev signed a contract extension and variation through to January 2020. AT and Transdev will work together to deliver the new initiatives, which will be completed by the end of 2019.
Creating integrated offices
The first project is to bring together the ticket offices and customer service centres at five train stations. Currently, customers need to queue at one point to buy a cash ticket and queue at another to get journey-planning advice and other information on AT Metro services.
"Bringing the ticket offices and customer service centres together will provide a faster ticketing service and give our customers better service overall. This will be in place by the end of July," says Group Manager AT Metro Operations Brendon Main.
The five stations to get integrated offices are Britomart, Newmarket, New Lynn, Papakura and Manukau.
Introducing transport officers
A second initiative later in the year will introduce on-board Transport Officers. Legislation that is expected to be passed by Parliament later this year will mean these officers will have greater powers to enforce fare payment and will be able to issue penalty notices to fare evaders as well as provide assistance to customers.
"Safety and security on public transport is important to our customers therefore it is important to us," says Mr Main.
"The presence of legally empowered Transport Officers will provide this and provide a deterrent to people who do not want to pay their share and purchase a ticket. Our customers have also told us that equity in fare purchase to travel is very important to them."
Installing electronic gates
A further project underway is to install new AT HOP electronic gates at eight more stations over the next 18 months. These stations are Otahuhu, Manurewa, Papatoetoe, Henderson, Parnell, Middlemore, Glen Innes and Papakura. This encourages all passengers to pay their way and purchase a valid ticket to travel on the rail network.
"The combination of on-board Transport Officers, improved face-to-face ticket purchase and AT HOP top-up at stations and more AT HOP electronic gates at stations will reduce vandalism, reduce fare evasion and create a better customer experience for our paying customers," says Mr Main.
