Auckland Transport--Please read
The Government has announced that New Zealand will be moving to Alert Level 2 on Thursday 14 May 2020.
This means public transport timetables have returned to normal for buses, trains and most ferries. The Ministry of Health wants passengers to still maintain physical distancing so we will need to limit the number of people who can board each bus, train, or ferry. This will reduce the number of passengers on each service. To make up for reduced capacity, we’ve called in some reinforcements; you might find yourself travelling on a bus normally used by sightseers or tourists. These extra buses will help get everyone where they need to be, quickly and safely.
When you’re on board, follow the signs showing where you can sit, and please avoid sitting next to someone you don’t know.
Registered HOP cards only
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Under Alert Level 2, regular fares apply. Please note that bus drivers won’t accept cash. Instead, you’ll need to use a registered AT HOP card to tag on and off. You need to make sure your AT HOP card is registered - this makes contact tracing easy if needed.
Cleaning our fleet
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The safety of our customers and workers is a priority, so we’re making sure all public transport is cleaned regularly. We’ve also stepped up our regime to include spot checks and antimicrobial cleaning. You’ll find hand sanitiser stations at many locations, and we encourage you to use them.
When travelling on buses
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• Cash payments for fares will not be accepted. You must use an AT HOP card.
• Use the rear door to get on and off buses.
• Tag on and off using the AT HOP card reader inside the rear door.
• If you use a wheelchair or mobility device, are vision-impaired or require driver assistance, you can still get on and off using the front door.
• Each bus will have a sign showing the number of passengers it can carry.
School buses
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AT school bus services will operate during Alert Level 2. Following the Government’s guidelines, physical distancing measures will be different from our public transport services but standing on buses will not be permitted. Working closely with the schools, AT have several measures to support contact tracing for students. Hand sanitiser will be made available for students boarding and departing the bus, in addition to the bus being cleaned in accordance with Government guidance. We recommend that parents wait with their child(ren) at the bus stop until they can see if the bus has enough room for their child(ren).
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Christmas Eve busiest shopping day of the year with more than 500,000 sales
Busiest shopping day of the year
Peak time 12 noon-1 pm - 563,303 transactions
Per second peak - 167 transactions
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Number of sales beats Black Friday, but lowest Christmas Eve in six years
Christmas Eve has been the busiest shopping day of the year with 9,745 sales a minute at its peak.
Payments company Worldline says noon to 1pm saw 563,303 sales recorded on its network, down by about 7 percent on a year ago.
The company's network covers about three-quarters of the electronic terminals in operation.
Worldline did not have a dollar value for spending, but the peak number of transactions was the lowest for the past six years and well shy of the record 679,436 in 2019, before the pandemic.
Earlier this month it noted rising sales in the first three weeks of the month, but they remained 1.3 percent lower than 2024, with most parts of the country trailing the previous year's spending.
Official data from Stats NZ to the end of November showed a small rise in spending on the previous month, to 1.6 percent higher for the year.
Retail spending has been subdued as households have remained cautious because of high prices and a slow benefit from lower interest rates, and as well as concerns about the soft labour market.
However, recent surveys have shown improving consumer sentiment with ANZ bank's monthly report showing confidence at its highest level in four years.
Boxing Day is traditionally the country's favourite shopping day, but with Black Friday spending also softer this year the amount going through retailers' terminals may also be down on a year ago.
Adding a dampener to consumer spending may be the recent rises in longer term fixed mortgage rates because of higher wholesale rates.
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Exclusive Christmas Sleep Deals - Up to 65% OFF Beds!
Hi neighbours,
This coming Christmas, why not treat yourself to better sleep? For one day only, we’re offering an extra 5% OFF on top of our already reduced Boxing Day Bed Sale prices!
With up to 65% OFF on selected beds and FREE delivery, there’s never been a better time to upgrade your sleep. But hurry, these deals are moving fast, and once stock is gone, it’s gone!
If you’d like to see what’s available:
Find your nearest Beds4U store: beds4u.co.nz/store-locator
Browse all Boxing Day deals: beds4u.co.nz/boxing-day
Don’t miss out, give yourself the gift of quality sleep this Christmas!
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