Auckland Transport’s AT HOP card rollout onto bus services will continue this weekend after technical issues were fixed
October 11, 2013
The rollout of Auckland Transport’s AT HOP card onto bus services will restart this weekend, as a technical issue has been fixed.
The roll-out has been briefly delayed because of a technical issue with some tag off devices and issues with Wi-Fi connections in the Birkenhead area.
Chief Operating Officer Greg Edmonds says the organisation’s technology provider, Thales, has identified and fixed the problem.
“We are now ready to recommence the roll-out,” he says.
North Star services will be first in the roll-out, followed by Metrolink, the LINK services, Go West and Waka Pacific.
Other companies are set to follow after the new year, but Auckland Transport will confirm timings for each bus operator closer to the time.
“The phased approach Auckland Transport has chosen for the roll-out of AT HOP is international best practice in terms of the technological magnitude and scale of integrated ticketing projects,” says Edmonds.
“Phasing at this last stage of implementation of the project is a prudent approach and ensures no changes for customers over the busy Christmas period.”
Edmonds says the Northern Pass and the Bayswater/Devonport Pass will be retained until the last bus operator on the North Shore goes live with AT HOP, although they plan to have the passes phased out by February.
As part of the AT HOP rollout, the organisation is looking to align fare prices and discounts across all users across the region.
“Currently the region has more than 100 existing fare types and prices, the majority of which can only be used on one operator,” he says.
“AT HOP lays the technology platform across all operators for regional improvements to the public transport fare and ticketing system in Auckland”.
The roll-out of AT HOP onto bus services will recommence on October 13 with North Star services.