Join our “Bus Warming” celebration!

All are welcome to join us for a “Bus Warming” morning tea at the Wānaka Community Hub this Tuesday, September 27 at 10:30am. Our custom-built vehicle will be on display for the very first time. Come along to take a look inside, hear a bit more about the Trial and join the celebration of its launch.

Please let us know if you are planning to attend, so we can ensure there is food for all.

In this blog, we are continuing to answer some of your most burning questions about the Community Shuttle Trial, lunching on Wednesday, September 28. Don’t forget that all the available information - including timetable, route map and bus stop locations - is available on our website here. We’ll continue to update this page as the trial progresses, and we are keeping track of all your feedback - so do keep checking back. More questions answered in our next blog!

·         Why doesn’t it run on weekends/ every weekday/ every day?

We wish it could! The Community Shuttle is a trial to establish the need for and feasibility of a more comprehensive public transport system going forward. Due to its limited scope and budget, we have had to make some tough decisions about when the shuttle will run and accept that it cannot be all things to all people. 

The Shuttle was designed to meet the needs, primarily, of commuters, seniors and youth in our community. The timings for the service are aimed at meeting those needs as effectively as possible within the limits of the trial. During our market research, it was found that the preferred days for such a service to operate were Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 

This trial is as much about data collection as it is about providing a service – so, if the current service is not meeting your needs, tell us why! We’ll be collecting as much feedback and data as possible to help shape next steps going forward. 

·         How will you be collecting data/how can I give feedback?

Your feedback is so important to the success of this trial. Ride data will be collected through Yello’s booking system and shared with us. When you book a seat on the shuttle, you will be sent a link to complete a short survey about your experience. This survey will also be available in hard copy on the vehicle and on our website for those who were unable to ride the shuttle because it didn’t work for them. You can also give feedback directly to your driver or by contacting Community Networks/LINK to let us know your thoughts and suggestions.

·         How will you know if it’s been a success or not?

One aim of the trial is to meet the needs of the community in general, and three demographic groups in particular: seniors travelling to and from Wānaka during the day for appointments or shopping; youth travelling to connect with friends or attend extracurricular activities; and commuters in Hāwea and Albert Town wishing to use public transport to attend and return from work (based around a 9:00am - 5:00pm working day).

We hope and expect that the Trial will achieve these goals, however it’s as much about data collection as it is about providing a service. In that sense, any outcome is useful – even if passenger numbers don’t match the anecdotal demand. This trial has been developed with support from Otago Regional Council, Queenstown Lakes District Council and large local employers, and will inform the decision-makers in our district of the demand and feasibility for public transport going forward. The more you use it, the clearer the message that Wānaka requires a public transport system – and the more feedback we receive, the more we know what does and doesn’t work with this particular model.