Three months ago when oil prices were nudging $US150 a barrel all the talk regarding public transport operators was how they could cope with burgeoning patronage as people deserted their cars in favour of cheaper buses or trains. Now with oil having tumbled to around $US50 as the world moves into recession and speculators flee the market, public transport operators face a new challenge - trying to hold on to all their new customers.

Few Advantages. In NZ, where public transport has been the poor cousin to road building for many decades, it is in a vulnerable position in terms of being able to retain patronage gains made over recent years. In most NZ cities, with the possible exception of Wellington’s commuter rail services, public transport can only offer one advantage over driving - cost. Public transport performs poorly in terms of travel times and reliability. In terms of the former, some travel times are now slower than they were 50 or 60 years ago which in part reflects the closure of rail services in favour of slower bus services. Reliability problems stem from worn out equipment and a lack of commitment to dedicating road space to public transport as is common in Europe in particular.

Keep On Investing. If public transport operators and Regional Councils are to build on the gains they have made they will have to keep the pressure on their elected representatives both at Local and National level to maintain funding so improvements in these two crucial areas can be made. The alternative is for patronage to dwindle again, funding to be eroded and a resultant re acceleration in traffic growth volumes and congestion levels.

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NZ Transport Intelligence Briefing