How much of a scam is Auckland Transport?

By
Martyn Bradbury
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13
56

37557271

I wasn’t sure that I could be infuriated by an organization like Auckland Transport anymore than I currently was.

I was wrong.

As a dedicated public transport user who refuses to drive, I am well versed in the under funded crap service they inflict without mercy upon the good people of Auckland every second of every minute of every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year.

I see time after time the tired, stressed out, under paid faces of their drivers trying to juggle the little they are given to try and move Auckland’s populace around. The amount of times I have waited beside Auckland Transport’s bullshit ‘Link’ Bus Service waiting for none existent buses to arrive when the electronic signs are saying ‘Due’ is immeasurable.

I am assuming that what I consider the definition of the word ‘Due’ to mean and what Auckland Transport thinks the word ‘Due’ means are about as far apart as Mars and Earth. See, I think the word ‘Due’ means, ‘within at least 5minutes’. Auckland Transport seems to be under the impression the word ‘Due’ means ‘sometime in the distant future’.

I don’t want to even begin with the Britomart Train station and how they have purposely designed the place to be as difficult as humanly possible to buy a ticket from, or that they should just rename the entire Train service ‘Buses temporarily replace Trains for some services’.

Auckland’s public transport is underfunded and it needs more, so imagine my jaw dropping surprise when I find out that there are 133 staff at Auckland Transport who are currently paid OVER $100 000 per year and 48 staff who are paid over $150 000 per year.

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WHAT???

181 staff paid OVER $100 000? I’m in the wrong game – how the living Christ can Auckland Transport with around 1000 staff have almost 20% paid over $100 000?

Waitakere candidate Christine Rose has exposed this astounding fact and is asking questions, but Auckland Transport seem intent on not answering. The problem she tells me is that the ridiculously named Council Controlled Organizations (I say ridiculously because the Council has little to no actual Control over these Organizations) are now less transparent than ever before.

As a devout public transport user who is painfully aware of Auckland Transport’s short commings, I can’t see how or why 181 of their management team deserve salaries in excess of $100 000, especially when their drivers are paid a pittance and have to threaten strikes to get crumbs as increases.

Something must be done! Auckland Transport seem to have confused their gravy train for a public service.

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13 COMMENTS

    • I was looking at applying for a job at AT the other day but, because I’d be using their transportation to get to work, I couldn’t as they just don’t run at those times. This is true of several jobs around Auckland.

  2. I am revolted but not surprised as this is indicative of what is going on across the board.
    From private big corporations, government to the electrical utilities – no industry is exempt.
    It takes a team to run a business and all members of the team are vital and should be remunerated respectfully. No one is more important than anyone else they just have different skills. There should be some difference between salaries to encourage the desire to grow and expand skills and promotions. The big risk takers should get bigger rewards that the non-risk takers that too is only fair.
    But not to the degree that there is now with cabals hegemony over wealth.
    Will the transport infrastructure work without leaders – no,
    will it work with no drivers or engineers – no.
    The bosses are taking too much at the expense of the systems and the people – for what – fat stacks of cash, bundles of ego privileges to lord over the unprivileged.

    Will we ever see a society that is actually ‘civilized’ where we get pleasure from helping and protecting the weak. The way it is now is ugly, uncivilized, quite inhuman and anti community really. To say we live in a civilization does not mean we do.

    I ask do the white collars earn their huge pay more than the grafter
    – my answer is no.

  3. See, I think the word ‘Due’ means, ‘within at least 5minutes’.

    You’re nice, I think “due” means within the next minute.

    Of course, I don’t think AT know why schedules are important and why buses and trains need to turn up on time and get to their destination on time. I also wonder if they’ve got reasonable penalties for the bus companies that they hire for when the buses don’t turn up on time. Considering that the buses around my way are consistently 15 minutes late I don’t believe so.

  4. From my understanding “due” means the bus should be there already. This lateness comes from a variety of factors from heavy traffic, accidents and high passenger numbers. The link buses are restricted (as we all should be) to no more than 50kph (Link buses don’t run on motorways) and they are monitored to ensure the bus does not speed. Also stopping at a bus stop can make the trip longer if there are cars that won’t let the bus out… then you’ve got people who need to sit at the back of the bus and drivers are supposed to wait until the passenger sits down, did I mention traffic lights, drivers who block intersections so you can’t move on a green?… it all adds up.

    • Do you work for Auckland Transport? Or are you just trying to make excuses for the 181 managers earning over $100k p/a ?

  5. The main problem with the LINK buses is that their loop nature means that there is no terminus where the bus can make up lost time, which means that a delays get worse and worse all through the day.

    • If you caught the Link you may experience “To keep to schedule, the bus may wait here a few minutes …. “

  9. […] a devout public transport user who is painfully aware of Auckland Transport’s short commings, I can’t see how or why 181 of their management team deserve salaries in excess of $100 000, especially when their drivers are paid a pittance and have to threaten strikes to get crumbs as […]

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