Auckland businesses are turning to a new public transport initiative to cut costs, reduce emissions, and attract talent.
Employers can help their employees save 25%, 50% or 75% on their public transport fares with Fareshare, an employer-subsidised programme offered by Auckland Transport. Fareshare makes catching the bus, train or ferry more affordable, with the discount applied directly to employees AT HOP cards. The system is easy to set up and manage and is available to businesses of all sizes.
The scheme has the bonus of being exempt from fringe benefit tax (FBT), meaning both employers and employees benefit.
Auckland Transport says Fareshare has been embraced by a range of businesses across multiple industries, from small start-ups to organisations with 500 plus employees in sectors like energy. Businesses have the choice to start small, with a 25% subsidy, and then easily scale this up as they see the benefits in staff public transport uptake, savings and sustainability outcomes.
One of the earliest businesses who signed up to Fareshare was John Fillmore Contracting Limited. Executive General Manager Sam Lockie says the scheme is helping them reduce emissions.
“Providing public transport options for our teams, especially those travelling into our CBD projects, means we’re playing our part in reducing carbon emissions,” Sam said.
“We know that every journey helps in the reduction of carbon emissions and traffic congestion, so we’re excited about Fareshare.”
On top of making commuting more affordable for staff, Fareshare also demonstrates a company’s commitment to sustainability, helps to reduce Scope 3 emissions and can sometimes save thousands of dollars on car parking costs.
Scope 3 emissions (those generated indirectly through activities like staff travel) are increasingly under scrutiny in climate disclosures and sustainability frameworks. Fareshare provides a practical way for businesses to reduce and report on these emissions.
Commercial property firm Samson Corporation also offers Fareshare for its staff. Sustainability Manager Bridget Pyc said Fareshare helps to reduce emissions while giving staff an alternative to battling traffic.
"After completing our annual carbon emissions reporting, I was looking into what we could do to reduce the emissions associated with staff commuting,” Bridget said.
“With Samson supporting staff via Fareshare, we've seen the team jump on board and have received really positive feedback that it's taking the frustration out of getting stuck in traffic on the way home.”
On average, employees with Fareshare increase their public transport use by 30%. This shift not only reduces congestion and emissions but also supports Auckland’s broader climate goals.
To learn more or register your business, visit the Auckland Transport website.
