The nationwide rollout of New Zealand’s unified public transport ticketing system and card, Motu Move, has hit yet another delay, with the first phase of implementation pushed back and no revised start date provided.
The project, led by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), is set to replace the patchwork of regional transport cards with a single, nationwide system.
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Commuters will be able to tag on and off using a dedicated Motu Move card, contactless bank cards, or digital devices like smartphones and smartwatches.
Originally scheduled to launch in Timaru and Temuka by mid-2025, the initial rollout has now been postponed, frustrating local officials and public transport advocates.
Christchurch City Councillor Dionne Swiggs expressed his disappointment in the latest setback, calling the delay “definitely frustrating” for communities that have waited years for a modern, seamless ticketing system.
“The principle of it is going to be absolutely fantastic,” Swiggs told Morning Report.
“You just tap on with your phone, tap off with your phone and it’s seamless. It should be very easy, the same way you use your public transport right across the country.”
Swiggs says that the core functionality of the system appears to be sound, but challenges remain in implementing more complex features.
“My understanding is the base functionality is working fine. It’s the extra functionality that’s causing the issues,” he says.
“Imagine you’ve got so many different pricing structures across the country, that’s one of the issues they’re trying to resolve.”
The Motu Move programme, in development for nearly seven years, has been touted as a major leap forward for public transport accessibility and integration across New Zealand’s ferries, buses, and trains. But repeated delays have eroded confidence in its timeline.
“We’ve been promising our communities this for nearly two or three years,” Swiggs says. “Let’s get it out there.”
Swiggs says it is now up to the technology provider to deliver a product that can meet the varied needs of the country’s transport networks.
“They need to deliver a product that is robust enough for us to roll out,” he said. “The base functionality is pretty robust. It is working.”
He also confirmed a trial is currently underway for Christchurch’s airport bus, and hopes remain high that additional features will be launched in the region soon.
Swiggs called for better transparency and coordination among stakeholders to keep the public informed and restore momentum.
“There needs to be better communication between all the parties involved,” he says.
“We need a clear line of communication, to be able to tell people what’s happening, and get this thing off the ground.”
A spokesperson for NZTA says work is underway to understand the options with a revised delivery plan for Canterbury expected to be confirmed in the next few months.
“The National Ticketing Solution team is also working on a revised regional roll-out plan and timeline for the rest of the country,” the spokesperson says.
“This is expected to be confirmed in August.”
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