Auckland Bus Dispute: Thank Goodness For School Holidays

School holidays took the sting out of today’s bus disruption.

If we are to persuade more Aucklanders to use public transport, it’s only going to work if it’s reliable.

That’s been the problem with the train service and a catalyst for why I started writing here in the hope commuters would have a voice to plead for things to improve  -and life has got better for train travellers.

This morning, the wheels stopping turning on most of Auckland’s bus public transport for 80,000 people who had to walk, cycle, car pool, hitch, taxi or get a train if one was near – or take a day’s holiday because it was too hard to organise alternative transport.

If this driver lockout dispute continues into Monday morning, we’re in trouble. Schools will be back. Roads and public transport volumes will be back to usual.

And by then, some commuters will find it more convenient, even if more expensive, to take the car. It’s happened in previous times, including the dark days of Auckland train travel, when people have drifted off and said this is all too hard.

Today, trains were busy -and good to see people trying the trains out for the first time.  Let’s hope they join the club permanently! Motorways were busy and some bus people waiting for the train said they were angry. A few people were unaware of the disruption and waited at a bus stop until someone gave them the word.

But regular motorists I spoke to said it was a dream trip as those dreadful big buses taking up space and stopping every few minutes were not in their way and even the bus lanes were free of them.

Yes,good point. Let’s get rid of them and all drive so the government can build more and more motorways!

Union members picketed at a bus depot -and there was talk of talks resuming at 10am to try to stop the dispute continuing for days.

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