Here are some thoughts on the above topic; hopefully we can get some objective comments and maybe some recommendations.

Research Observations.

There are significant bus routes that run uneconomically daily and at regular times with few or no passengers at all.

In the Pyes Pa region it is not uncommon to see buses parked up sometimes two at a time because of lack of passengers as they have completed their routes early.

Ever wondered why buses have heavily shaded windows? One can't help but arrive at the conclusion being, so that ratepayers cannot see how poorly they are patronised.

Having looked at the Tauranga City Council 2018/19 Annual report, I observed the following:

Income from the City buses over that financial period is not given, this means the ratepayer has no idea of the revenue generated by the bus fleet over the 12 month period.

There is no figure associated with the running costs, maintenance or other costs associated with the bus fleet.

The outcome of the above means as a ratepayer you have no idea whether the buses are paying their way, or worse what really it is costing us to provide service to uneconomic routes.

As the report is broken up into cost and revenue silos or buckets, the most obvious is the one labelled 'Transport” to cover buses but also includes roads and maintenance. This is convenient as you cannot unbundle the true cost of the bus service in this city.

If you look at your rates assessment you will see the Tauranga City Rates and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council rates. Both show what you get for your rates. For example, in Tauranga, you pay $13 per $100 of your rates towards transport. Based on the average residential rates of $2,886 (source: Weekend Sun Friday 13 March Councillor Steve Morris) you will pay $364.00 to the Transport Fund. For BOP Regional rates, under Passenger Transport Rates it is $179.78 (2019/20 rating year) Total $543.78

As at the March 2013 census Tauranga had 45,366 occupied residential dwellings, multiply that figure by $543 you get $24,633,738 that is associated with the annual TCC Transport fund and BOP Regional Passenger Transport rating.

As a rate payer we have no idea, of the $24,633,738, what is associated with the running of the bus fleet.

Recommendation

As a minimum at least review the uneconomic routes and frequency and scale back accordingly.

You are raising our rates by 12+ per cent. At least play your part in reducing the costs of uneconomic operations, run it like a business.

Finally you cannot legislate people out of their cars to use buses. It is what is.

P Forward, Pyes Pa

Tauranga City Council responds:

There is no figure associated with the bus fleet in the Tauranga City Council Annual Report because the bus service is funded and operated by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.