I’m Jon C. Welcome to AKT. This site covers the latest news around (mainly NZ) transport. Join in the debates but please keep it friendly. Together, we are making a difference.

How did this site begin?

I started in January 2009 after family and friends at Christmas got bored with my endless stories about how bad it was trying to catch an Auckland train. To shut me up, they suggested I start a daily online diary on my attempts to catch an Auckland train. I also wanted to  create an historical online record of the major rail & motorway development taking place. as the media didn’t seem very interested in recording it.

Over time, that train service has much improved, and electric trains and integrated ticketing are now on the way.

Is this a crusade?

No, I don’t belong to any organisation, apart from a gym. I am actually political neutral and not associated with any transport advocacy group. Of course, I have opinions I express.

Why is aucklandtrains.co.nz now called AKT?

This site’s traffic numbers and interest in the subject have grown and there’s a lot happening in infrastructure generally. So I have expanded it to cover developments in motorways, cycle trails, a new harbour crossing to a look at city development and just occasionally I write about something that I find interesting. I have shortened the name of the blog to AKT as its silly calling it Auckland Trains when I also cover Wellington’s train development and the site can also be reached by aktnz.co.nz

How much stuff is original here?

As much as possible. I take photos, cover events and meetings or get someone to do so for me and I actively hunt out news.

The media has almost given up on properly covering the development going on so someone needs to.

I am thankful for the help officials, organisations and councils involved in the transport area are now giving me and tips and contributions from readers. I believe blogs have moved on from just linking to what the media and others have discovered and so this site chases original stuff. I acknowledge photos or any information that is not my own.

Are you one of these bloggers who wants to be famous?

No, unlike some, my aim here is not to be on the 6pm TV news or mix and mingle. This is not about me, not some self-indulgent rant claiming I’m an expert or talking about what I had for breakfast (it’s always muesli with fruit and yoghurt if you care!!).

This is about transport, a serious issue that  affects all of us every day.

So this site is a place  for you to find out what’s new, engage in debate and try to persuade others, including decision-makers, some of whom do check in here.

For the record, I’m just a train guy but also drive a car, bike, mountainbike, and catch the odd bus. And I walk a lot.

Most importantly, I’m positive and passionate about cities being great places to get around and enjoy.

Are you making money from the site?

Since I started, I literally have made $0, although the hosting costs are climbing as traffic does. I make money only if people click on the ads.

The important thing is to know others are finding the site helpful and interesting.

So I appreciate your interest.

Enjoy and participate! Feel free to email me - feedback good and bad is always genuinely welcome – and do add comments to the posts.

Best,

Jon

Copyright

Material on this site is copyright.

But I’m happy for my own photos to be used under the Creative Commons agreement  (i.e. for non-commercial use only, and you must link to & attribute to this site. It would also be nice if you let me know).

For use otherwise or if you are ensure, please email me.

I have taken the photos unless credited otherwise.

I’m keen to be generous with my photos but there have been some breaches lately so please don’t let me change my mind!

Some photos in the train history section are from those on public display at Britomart or Motat.

If any photo published on the site is incorrectly credited or has copyright issues, let me know.

I take photos of public places like train and bus stations. It’s inevitable people appear in them. There is no law requiring you to seek permission of anyone photographed in a public place. But if you have been snapped and that photo is published on the site – and you are unhappy about it, just let me know.

When viewing photos on the site and you want to see a bigger version, click on it to enlarge it.

Contact

You can email me from the Contact area but if you are sending photos or an attachment send directly to aucklandtrains at gmail as in gmail dot com

I enjoy hearing from you, and all feedback and suggestions, good or bad, are welcome.

Comments

If there is a comment published that you find personally objectionable, discuss it with me. I want people to have a good experience here.

iPhone

The site has an iPhone and Android friendly version.

twitter

I alert when I publish new posts on Twitter If you Tweet a train delay on twitter use hashtag #akltrains

youtube

Check out the Aucklandtrains channel

blogroll

Because of  the growing size of this, it has been moved to the Links section at the top.