New public transport service coming to Hastings in June labelled a "game-changer"
An innovative trial of a new public transport service will enable Hastings residents to call up a bus just like they would a taxi.
MyWay, delivered by Hawke's Bay Regional Council, will hit the streets on June 7 to make it easier and more sustainable for the community to get around.
Regional Councillor and Regional Transport Committee Chair Martin Williams says it is very exciting to finally be able to bring this service to the Hastings community.
"This is a game-changer for the delivery of public transport, where people make their own timetable for when they want to catch the bus, and where they want it to go."
The trial starts this year in Hastings and will be in Napier next year.
If the trial is successful and people 'get on board' with MyWay, Williams says they will ultimately be able to provide a more user-friendly and accessible service for a wider range of people over the longer term and region.
The MyWay service will replace routes 16A, 16B and 17 in urban Hastings, and operate Monday to Friday, 6am to 6pm. MyWay will use Ford Transit and Mercedes Sprinter vehicles to transport passengers. Customers can request a vehicle through the MyWay app, or by calling the Regional Council.
Williams says getting more people out of cars in Hawke's Bay through 'mode shift', is something the Regional Council takes seriously for a whole range of reasons, including environmental, access to better transport options, and health and wellbeing.
"We want more people using our buses, riding their bikes, or walking, particularly to make shorter every day trips around town. MyWay is our first step on the journey to change the way we think about and use public transport in Hawke's Bay."
Regional Council Group Manager Policy & Regulation Katrina Brunton says the new service improves the current offering of public transport by giving Hastings residents a better connection to the people, places, and activities they love.
"We've worked hard to meet the needs of our local community and provide flexibility and connection across Hastings.
MyWay users will only pay a $2 fare to go anywhere in Hastings under the trial, and people will not have to wait more than 25 minutes from booking to being picked up.
Buses will pick up and drop off customers within 200m of the travel source and destination.
"Ahead of the service launching on June 7, we're asking for people from across the community to trial the service for two weeks to iron out any issues and give us time to make changes before it opens to the wider public. This means you may see the buses driving around Hastings from May 23."
To sign up to trial the service for free and get a $25 Bee Card top up, or for more information on the service head to mywayhb.nz
