THE WITHDRAWAL OF URBAN BUS SERVICES IN TAURANGA. 13TH AUSTRALASIAN TRANSPORT RESEARCH FORUM, CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND, 18-21 JULY 1988; FORUM PAPERS. VOLUME 1 AND 2

On 3 October 1986, the major part of the urban public transport services operating in the Tauranga Mount Maunganui area was withdrawn. The Tauranga urban area has a population of approximately 59,000, is the seventh largest urban centre in New Zealand, and has a high proportion of elderly residents. The withdrawal of services, which were operated by bayline buses, came after several years of decline in patronage and in the level of services provided. A major factor in the withdrawal was the lack of financial support from the local authorities in the area. Without this local input, the bus services were not eligible for all of the central government subsidy provided through the urban transport council (utc). Once the decision was made to discontinue the services, the utc decided to carry out a study to assess the impact of the withdrawal upon users. A survey of passengers was undertaken in September 1986, prior to the withdrawal, to find out who was using the bus services and for what purpose. A number of respondents were approached again in may 1987 to see how they had changed their travel patterns, and to find out the ways in which they had been affected by the withdrawal of the buses. The surveys showed that many former users had suffered inconvenience as a result of the withdrawal of the bus services and that a majority considered themselves to be worse off both financially and in general terms. A small number of users had experienced what they considered to be severe hardship as a result of being unable to make the journeys which they had previously made by bus. New services have since been introduced into the area but the future of these services is not guaranteed. (Author/TRRL) (Author/TRRL)

• Availability:
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• Corporate Authors:

  Ministry of Transport, New Zealand

  38-42 Waring Taylor Street, P.O. Box 3175
  Wellington,   New Zealand 
• Authors:
  • PERRINS, C
• Publication Date: 1988

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 363-81
• Serial:
  • Publication of: Ministry of Transport, New Zealand
  • Publisher: Ministry of Transport, New Zealand

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aged; Buses; Conferences; Financing; Impact studies; Level of service; Local government agencies; Passengers; Public transit; Questionnaires; Travel; Urban areas
• Uncontrolled Terms: Decreases; Use
• Geographic Terms: New Zealand
• ITRD Terms: 1272: Bus; 8525: Conference; 9009: Decrease; 244: Financing; 183: Government (national); 9112: Impact study; 9147: Interview; 698: Journey; 653: Level of service; 192: Local authority; 8079: New Zealand; 1746: Old people; 744: Public transport; 313: Urban area; 9084: Use; 1715: Vehicle occupant
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation; Society; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00492896
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• ISBN: 0-477-05209-6
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: May 31 1990 12:00AM