Auckland Transport is set to introduce a price cap for its services, limiting users to a maximum of $50 a week, regardless of the frequency of their use.
The cap will last a week and expire at 11:59 p.m., seven days after the initial HOP card tag-on. Customers will know they have reached the cap when they are charged $0 for a fare. The cap will replace the $20 daily fare cap and the $230 monthly bus and train pass.
The Public Transport Users’ Association’s national coordinator, Jon Reeves, praised the move, calling it a significant step towards improving public transport.
Mayor Wayne Brown also hailed the cap as a key piece of the Long-term Plan to enhance transport for Aucklanders. The cap will benefit about 8% of the transport network’s existing 450,000 monthly user base and provide an opportunity for people to try public transport for more trips.
The move comes after an average 6.2% price hike in public transport fares in the city. In addition to the price cap, a nationwide ticketing system called ‘Motu Move’ is set to roll out at the end of this year, starting in Timaru in December, promising further improvements to the public transport system.
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