Supermaxx update

SUPERMAXX Update 25 June, 2024

Supermaxx was first presented to the Auckland Regional Council and various Auckland City Councils then in existence in February 2007. It has been presented to every Mayor, Auckland Super City Councillor, and central government Prime Minister, Minister of Transport and Minister of Finance, and central government politician since.

No one has proven me wrong.! No one has implemented Supermaxx

Failure to implement Supermaxx has

** Cost Auckland rate payers over $1 billion in excess subsidies

** Cost Auckland commuters over $1 billion in excess fares

** Caused at least 560,000 tons of excess carbon emissions.

** Provided less connected, less frequent and slower services.

Auckland Transport has INCREASED Public Transport costs

Budget for operating costs 2019/2020 537,300,000

Budget for operating costs 2021/2022 627,000,000

Budget for operating costs 2023/2024 837,100,000

Auckland Transport has DECREASED Public Transport fare revenue!

Budget for fare revenue 2019/2020 189,300,000

Budget for fare revenue 2023/2024 129,400,000

29% decrease in fare revenue from 2019/2020 to 2023/2024

Auckland Transport has INCREASED TOTAL SUBSIDIES required from Auckland Council and NZTA between 2019/2020 ($328,000,000) and 2023/2024 ($674,700,000)

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SUPERMAXX SAVINGS 2023/2024

REVENUE

Supermaxx projected Pass revenue 338,937,000

Auckland Transport budget fare revenue 129,400,000

Supermaxx - extra Revenue per annum!! 209,537,000

COSTS

Supermaxx refined network and schedules means more capacity with less buses, less congestion, less road damage, less pollution. 346 less buses on the road at average cost of $323,755 per annum = $112,019,230 further savings per annum.

Supermaxx Passes - extra revenue to AT budget 209,537,000

Plus savings through less buses 112,019,230

Supermaxx total savings per annum $321,556,230

Supermaxx total savings per month $ 26,796,352

Supermaxx total savings per week $ 6,183,774

Supermaxx total savings per day $ 880,976

Prepared by Stephen Greenfield

Auckland Transport Consultancy. Phone 0800 309 196 Email: steve@nztours.nz Web www.nztours.nz

AUCKLAND TRANSPORT INFORMATION

Supplied under the Official Information Act in June 2024.

AT advise adults using public transport on a normal weekday 57,113

Daily patronage summary shows average weekday June 2024 HOP patronage 240,000 by bus, 44,000 by train. 7,500 by ferry. = 291,500 trips. Most people will make a return journey and some 3-4 sectors but it is reasonable to assume over 100,000 people

**ENABLED HOP CARDS as at 16/05/2024.**
Adult 2,056.002	Supergold. 199,600	Child 159,233
Accessible 3,973	Secondary students 13,964	Tertiary Student 24,136
	Total: 2,491,925 (For 1.5 million residents????)

AT fares with daily cap of $50 SUPERMAXX - SAVINGS

Monthly Monthly Pass = $230 Monthy $75 $155

Weekly $20 x 5 days average use = $100 Weekly $25 $75

Daily $20 = $20 Daily $10 $10

Auckland Transport Financials 2023/2024

Buses in service at AT 15 May, 2024 1346 including 1014 Diesel single deck, 194 diesel double deck, 1 electric double deck

(To be added to fleet 60 single deck electric. 23 double deck electric)

($435,774,000) divided by 1346 buses - average cost per bus per annum $323,755

OPERATING COSTS BUDGET

**2021/2022 Costs 2023/2024**
Rail 189,000,000 227,731,000 Bus 376,000,000 479,407,000
Ferry 14,000,000 67,414,000 Other costs 62,605,000
Total 627,000,000 837,157,000

OPERATING REVENUE (Millions) (AT) (2021/22 figures include NZTA Subsidy)
2021/2022 2023/2024 NZTA Auckland Council

Rail 64,000,000 43,683,000 101,100,000 83,000,000

Bus 141,000,000 81,150,000 225,384,000 173,000,000
Ferry 13,000,000 24,184,000 22,187,000 20,000,000
Totals 218,000,000 149,017,000 348,671,000 276,000,000

SUPERMAXX FINANCIALS

Supermaxx projected revenue based on 300,000 regular users

**Monthly Passes**
Adult 300,000 x 75 x 11 months 247,500,000
Concession 80,000 x $20 x 10 months 16,000,000
Senior Passes 199,600 x $10, 12 23,952,000

I believe these figures are realistic for patronage on the upgraded, reduce fares, Supermaxx services. However should patronage be 100,000 less revenue willreduce by $82.5 million per annum and still save ratepayers and taxpayers over $200 million per year instead of $300 million!!

**7 day passes**
Adult 7,000 x $25 x 52 weeks 9,100,000
Concession 5,000 x $10 x 52 2,600,000
1 day Passes

Adult	8,000 x $10 x 365	29,200,000
Concession	3,000 x $5 x 365	5,475,000

2 hour passes

Adult	6,000 x $2 x 365	4,380,000
Concession	2,000 x $1 x 365	730,000
Total Pass revenue - 300,000 monthly users		338,937,000

Supermaxx Operating Costs 2023/2024

Rail (as for AT) 227,731,000

Bus 1000 buses by $323,755 323,755,500

Ferry (as for AT) 67,414,000

Total $618,900,500

Total Supermaxx subsidy required NZTA and Auckland Council $279,963,000

Approximately 60% NZTA 40% Auckland Council

The Supermaxx revenue figures are very conservative and do not take into account the extra patronage which will be achieved when fares are reduced from $230 to $75 per month, and the network, frequency, and reliability massively improved.

For every 390 extra monthly passes sold 1 extra bus can be added to the fleet.

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DOMINION ROAD CASE STUDY– Auckland Transport services

Adults travelling Dominion Rd on normal weekday 25L 25B 252 253 = 2,312 (272 services = average of 8.5 passengers per service)

Total buses needed at peak times for AT services..............78.... mix of single and double deck

Total buses needed at peak times Supermaxx services......44.... 34 double deck plus 10 local electric 20-30 seat buses

25B and 25L route. St James, Wakefield St, Symonds St, Mt Eden Rd, Bellevue Rd, View Rd, Dominion Rd, Denbigh Avenue, May Rd, White Swan Rd, Donovan St, Taylor Street, Blockhouse Bay. (25L Denbigh Ave, Hillsborough Rd, Halsey Rd, Lynfield)

25B and 25L 55 minutes peak hour to city – 15 min break 45 minutes from city. Buses needed at peak times 26 x 2 = 52

252 and 253 Buses needed at peak times = 10

Weekdays – 272 return services Saturday - 96 services Sundays - 92 services

25B and 25L 460 journeys x 13 km per journey = 5,980 km per week

252 and 253 Express via Ian McKinnon 10 journeys x 11 km per journey 110 km

68 Blockhouse Bay – New Lynn section

Blockhouse Bay, Bolton St, Portage Rd, New Lynn

Weekdays 55 Services Saturdays/Sundays 52 services each day

Distance 3 km. Travel time 5 minutes. 16 buses needed

Auckland Transport Total buses needed peak time - 78. Supermaxx Total buses needed at Peak time - 44

SUPERMAXX Service 209 Total buses required peak time - 34 (All double decker)

* Same bus from St James to New Lynn via Mt Roskill, and Blockhouse Bay via Queen St, Ian McKinnon Drive, Dominion Rd, Blockhouse Bay shops to New Lynn Transport Centre. Returns via Symonds and Wellesley Streets serving Universities. Travel and break time round trip 2 hours

* Local services provided by 10 x 20-30 seat electric buses on 15 minute circuit from local shops and transfer points.

Total buses needed peak time for Supermaxx 44 - 34 buses less than AT!!

34 buses at average cost of $323,755 pa saves $11,007,670 per annum

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ROCK AND ROLL – THUMP AND BUMP

Another prime example of AT failure is operating Dominion Rd Buses from St James via Symonds St, Mt Eden Rd, Esplanade Rd, and View Rd to join Dominion Rd. It adds 5-10 minutes to every journey. For the sake of a few passengers on Esplanade and View Rds who are within 10 minutes walk of Mt Eden or Dominion Rds over 2000 are disadvantaged. It is a major deterrent to using buses.

To add insult to injury AT have a roundabout at the corner of Esplanade and View Rds and 4 raised speed bumps on View Rd between Esplanade and Dominion Rds. It

1 Makes driving difficult and stressful for the drivers

2 Makes commuting uncomfortable and longer for the passengers

3 Damages the suspension of the buses and causes more breakdowns and maintenance costs

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DOMINION ROAD TIMETABLE. St James – New Lynn

St James, Ian McKinnon Drive, Dominion Rd, Richardson Rd, White Swan Rd, Blockhouse Bay, Donovan St, New Lynn.

Inbound travels Dominion Rd, Symonds St, Wellesley St, St James.

Aotea - St James 0700 0710 0720 0730 0740 0750

Valley Rd 0705 0715 0725 0735 0745 0755

Mt Roskill shops 0715 0725 0735 0745 0755 0805

New Lynn 0735 0745 0755 0805 0815 0825

15 minutes turnaround

New Lynn 0750 0800 0810 0820 0830 0840

Mt Roskill shops 0810 0820 0830 0840 0850 0900

Valley Rd 0820 0830 0840 0850 0900 0910

Aotea – St James 0830 0840 0850 0900 0910 0920

Auckland Council Fail!! The St James bus stop on Queen St is a disgrace and an insult to all Aucklanders. Demand the owners of the St James turn the empty space next to it into a covered garden and walkway between the bus stop and library with covered waiting area, coffee cart, and planter boxes. Make a space worthy of Auckland!

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For more information on the philosophy and planning that has gone into Supermaxx in over 4,000 hours and 17 years please click on "More Info" below. This is a brochure produced in 2017. Costs are out of date but the same realities of excessive costs, minimal revenue, and a highly flawed network from AT compared with Supermaxx remain the same. Fares have changed to the primary unit now being a Supercity wide 30 day pass for $75 per 30 days valid from Wellsford to Waiuku. A new brochure will be prepared as soon as I have the 2024/25 budget.

Stephen Greenfield

Auckland Transport Consultancy/Supermaxx

More info ( 7 MB)

EMAIL SENT TO THE PRIME MINISTER, ALL CABINET MINISTERS, AND MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT 21 JUNE, 2024. The grounding of the "Aratere" in Picton 22nd June highlights the need for urgent attention to the Interislander link as sent yesterday morning on the bottom of this email!!!! A steering fault put it aground on a beach near Picton. A steering fault at the rocky entrance to Tory channel in bad weather could be catastrophic and very difficult to get to for rescue. Last time I travelled on an Interislander (March 2024) with a group I was appalled at the standard of presentation of the ships. It seems to support a deeper and much more serious lack of maintenance and caring.

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To the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, all Cabinet Ministers, all Members of Parliament: Wayne Brown - Mayor of Auckland, all Auckland Councillors, all media

What could central government do with an extra $200+ million dollars per annum?

Fund a lot more drugs for Pharmac including the promised cancer drugs?

Employ a lot more nurses and doctors and upgrade our health facilities?

Employ a lot more teachers and upgrade their training?

Buy a new passenger jet for the air force?

Fill all the potholes in New Zealand and build better roads?

Purchase two new Interisland ferries urgently?

Give themselves a pay rise?

What could Auckland Council do with $100 million less costs per annum

Reduce the rates burden, increase the public services, and add security to the city, sack the Board and senior management of Auckland Transport??

It is not a dream or a scam, or too good to be true. It is available and would start feeding through in 6 months time with the introduction of SUPERMAXX for a cost of less than $1 million - paid for in the first week of savings when fully implemented!

SUPERMAXX provides more revenue by using unlimited travel passes, reducing commuter costs from $230 a month for AT to $75 per month for Supermaxx, reducing operating costs by creating a better and more efficient network, and takes at least 31,000 tons of carbon from the air each year. Please do the math and check it out, and then explain why it is not introduced. LOWER FARES ARE CRITICAL IN THESE FINANCIALLY DIFFICULT TIMES FOR MANY STRUGGLING COMMUTERS. AT does not need more subsidies - it needs less. Supermaxx can be introduced across Auckland within 6 months for a cost of less $1 million and will bring savings of at least $5 million per week when fully implemented. It needs a critical mass of around 200,000 people to fully implement the frequency, network, and fare level but Wellington and Christchurch qualify and a modified version can be implemented in smaller cities. With the agreement of the councils (and introduction of unlimited travel passes) one pass could cover every public transport service in New Zealand with huge benefits to the public. Step off the plane at any airport and you are on your way on local bus services using the same pass.

SUPERMAXX Update 20 June, 2024

Supermaxx was first presented to the Auckland Regional Council and various Auckland City Councils then in existence in February 2007. It has been presented to every Mayor, Auckland Super City Councillor, and central government Prime Minister, Minister of Transport, Minister of Finance, and central government politician since. No one has proven me wrong! No one has implemented Supermaxx

Failure to implement Supermaxx in the past 17 years has

** Cost Auckland ratepayers over $1 billion in excess subsidies

** Cost New Zealand taxpayers over $1 billion in excess NZTA subsidies

** Cost Auckland commuters over $1 billion in excess fares

** Caused at least 560,000 tons of excess carbon emissions.

** Provided less connected, less frequent and slower services.

Auckland Transport has INCREASED Public Transport costs

Budget for operating costs 2019/2020.... 537,300,000

Budget for operating costs 2021/2022.... 627,000,000

Budget for operating costs 2023/2024.... 837,100,000

56% increase in costs from 2019/2020 to 2023/2024

Auckland Transport has DECREASED Public Transport fare revenue!

Budget for fare revenue 2019/2020.... 189,300,000

Budget for fare revenue 2023/2024.... 149,017,000

29% decrease in fare revenue from 2019/2020 to 2023/2024

Half price public transport fares were in force March 2022 to 30 June 2023 which were still higher than Supermaxx fares!

Auckland Transport has INCREASED TOTAL SUBSIDIES from Auckland Council and NZTA by 105% between 2019/2020 ($328,000,000) and 2023/2024 ($674,400,000)

SUPERMAXX SAVINGS 2023/2024

REVENUE

Supermaxx projected Pass revenue 338,937,000 (See next panel for calculations).

Auckland Transport budget fare revenue 149,017,000

Supermaxx - extra Revenue per annum!! 189,920,000

COSTS

Supermaxx refined network and schedules means more capacity with less buses, less congestion, less road damage, less pollution.

346 less buses on the road at average cost of $323,755,000 = $112,019,230 further savings per annum.

Supermaxx Passes - difference in revenue 189,920,000

Plus savings through less buses 112,019,230

SUPERMAXX TOTAL SAVINGS AT LEAST - $301,939,230 PER ANNUM - approximately 60% NZTA and 40% Auckland Council.

For more detailed costings and revenue projections plus how West Auckland services would look under Supermaxx with all Primary services starting and ending in urban centres rather than dormitory suburbs, more frequent and direct services, 24 hour services on primary routes, more use of the motorways for faster travel times, and how Dominion Rd services are a case study for the incompetence of Auckland Transport see the next panel. For more details of Supermaxx and Frequently asked Questions see the PDF on my website: www.newzealandtours.co.nz/supermaxx

INTERISLANDER WOES: As a tour operator and seller of tours including trains and Interisland ferries I have a vested interest in what is happening with the Interislander replacements and am deeply, deeply, concerned. I started my working life in Christchurch with Union Steamship Company and spent 3 years in their office and 6 years at sea as a Purser. This included the first and last years on the Wellington/Lyttelton ferries and a few months on the first rail ferries, plus the Pacific Islands and South Asia services. In 1968 I was appointed Chief Purser to the t.e.v. Maori and was involved in the discussions at Head Office in regard to the replacement for the "Wahine", including travelling on a few overnight ferries in Europe while on leave to see trends. My suggestion to them was 2 ships to the maximum size capable of handling the treacherous waters of Tory channel entrance safely. These would have been capable of carrying around 300 berthed passengers, 1,000 on recliner stye seating, plus vehicles serving both Lyttelton and Picton. The suggestions were not adopted and the Union Company built a great ship for the 1950's ("Rangatira") and killed the service.

The Kiwirail oversized new ferries should never have been ordered. I was in Picton on a cruise 18 months ago and the Marlborough Harbour Board were expressing concern then about their size. The Harbour Board has since stated that no ship over 187 metres long can use Tory Channel. The new ferries were to be 220 metres. Size matters in the tricky channel.

Nicola Willis has cancelled the contract seemingly with no clear plan as to how to meet the needs of this critical part of our transport infrastructure. She formed an advisory group on which, to the best of my knowledge, no one has any maritime experience!!

A very good fixed price contract had been negotiated with the Korean shipyard and rather than slashing and burning, a new contract should have been negotiated basically downsizing the ship plans by 20% which would have brought them very close to the dimensions of the 3 biggest current ferries. In addition to being able to handle Tory Channel they would be able to use the current berths in Wellington and Picton with little or no modification or cost. It seems we are up for massive cancellation costs.

INTRODUCE SUPERMAXX AND government (NZTA) WILL SAVE $200 MILLION PER YEAR IN SUBSIDIES. THE FIXED PRICE CONTRACT FOR BULDING THE NEW FERRIES WAS $551 MILLION.

TWO NEW FERRIES FOR 3 YEARS SAVINGS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT SUBSIDIES and the ferries are paid for!!! Unfortunately the concept of getting vastly better outcomes for considerably less cost is unknown to NZTA, Auckland Transport, and Auckland Council.

Kiwirail squandered around $424 million on the IREX project which was totally wasted

I would greatly appreciate your examining this and giving me your comments

Stephen Greenfield

Auckland Transport Consultancy/New Zealand Tours

Auckland, New Zealand

Telephone 0800 309 196. Mobile 021 174 9588

email: steve@nztours.nz

web: www.nztours.nz

Supermaxx update