Auckland Transport puts pressure on ferry operator to fix service problems

Auckland Transport has asked ferry operator Fullers360 to urgently explain what it is doing to remedy service problems after a summer of delays.

In a letter dated February 20, Auckland Transport’s Darek Koper, asked the ferry company to work with Auckland Transport over the next fortnight on “urgent actions”, including outlining how crew shortages were being remedied and when services were expected to return to “contracted service levels”.

The demand comes after a summer of ferry breakdowns, as well as cancellations and delays.

Fullers360 operations manager Paul Trotman previously said those were largely due to an industry-wide skills shortage.

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Last Thursday, Auckland Council’s transport and infrastructure committee heard how repeated cancellations were affecting Gulf Harbour ferry users.

The alert system for notifying passengers of cancellations was inadequate, the committee heard.

Then, in a presentation to the committee, Auckland Transport staff mentioned there were provisions in place to terminate ferry service contracts if shortfalls were not remedied.

The committee raised concerns about Fullers360’s “ability to maintain a reliable ferry service and to communicate effectively with ferry users about the impact of ongoing crew shortages and vessel maintenance”.

The committee asked Auckland Transport to find solutions to the service problems and report back in March.

In his letter to the ferry company, Kopek states that the report needs to “give committee members and Aucklanders confidence on what is being done by Fullers to address the ongoing issues, and to provide greater assurance to our/your key stakeholders and customers that we are doing everything possible to mitigate the disruption caused by the current crew shortage and vessel maintenance challenges”.

In July 2022, AT and Fullers360 signed operating contracts worth an estimated $361 million for passenger services over 12 years from downtown Auckland to Devonport, Half Moon Bay, and Hobsonville Point and Beach Haven, as well as services to Gulf Harbour for six years.

AT and Fullers also signed a Quality Partnership Agreement (QPA) over Waiheke services, which AT stated at the time was “aimed at enhancing the reliability, fare affordability and sustainability of services to and from Waiheke Island”.

Last spring, Fullers warned Waiheke passengers its summer timetable would be difficult to deliver and that has played out with passengers putting up with long waits as the services available have been plagued by cancellations and outstripped demand.

Stuff sought comment from Fullers360 on its response to the AT letter. A spokesperson responded that all media requests regarding AT contracted ferry routes must be directed to AT.