Skipping To Auckland , and saving $150 million !
In the morning , I'm on the 6.30am Skip bus to Auckland . A lot of people are still on holiday , so it will be interesting to see how many people are on it . It gets to Sky City Auckland by 8.30 . Cost $11 incl booking fee and credit card fee .
At 5.30pm , I'm coming back , also on Skip -- get back 7.30pm . Another $11 .
I don't actually have much to do in Auckland , but I have a cunning plan . So I want to see what the bus service is like , and arguably I should have waited a couple of weeks , until most commuters are back at work .
See -- I have a plan . It appears a crowd funded commuter bus service could be operational , with all the NZTA legal requirements , within 3 months .
On-line ticketing would take a bit of effort from the boffins . Registration with NZTA seems logical if you follow their guidelines , don't cut corners . It appears you don't even need to file any planned routes or anything -- you do if you are wanting to operate Urban ( subsidised ) services . You would want to ask permission to use bus stops , but if King Andrew says No , as they are public places and publicly funded , it appears they can't stop you . The Transport Centre is slightly different -- even though it is publicly funded and a public place , it does have different rules .
Even the buses themselves aren't a huge problem -- you want nice , and a bit of room . I don't think you want 55 seater coaches initially -- in my head , I reckon 2 x 25 seaters ( 15 year old ones seem to be around $50K ) and 2 long wheelbase , high roof vans , like Transits or Hi Aces -- around $25-30 k each .
Anyway , anyone interested , I'll do some updates , and I reckon that collectively a few people can put together something that will cover costs and maybe make a return , probably work in with Skip timetables to get 2 or 3 buses a day each way .
By the way , I don't work in Auckland , I don't want to be a huge spoiler , but by a few people using a few brains , we can completely show up the 'backers' ( local and Govt politicians , and NZTA ) of the $120-150 million dollar train drain .
Poll: Do you set New Year’s resolutions?
🎉 2026 is almost here!
We’re curious ... how do you welcome it?
Do you set resolutions, follow special traditions, or just go with the flow?
-
20% Yes! New Year, New Me
-
20% Yes - but I rarely stick to them
-
60% Nah - not for me
From rugged campsite to 7.5ha resort
Grant Kilby has always loved camping. His mum was director of health at the YMCA, and he would attend YMCA camps in the school holidays. “I think it was mandatory that I was there,” he jokes.
He went on camping holidays with his parents, and later, took his own kids.
“Camping’s been in my blood.”
Poll: Is it ok to regift something that you have been given?
🎁 Holiday Gift Chat!
Do you ever regift?
What’s your take on asking for a receipt if a gift doesn’t fit?
-
78.7% Yes! It's better to regift what I don't need
-
21.3% No. It's the thought and effort that matters
Loading…
