AT to trial ridesharing service for Devonport ferry

A ride-sharing service using electric vehicles will be trialled by Auckland Transport between customers’ homes and the Devonport ferry.

A tender process for the procurement of electric vehicles is currently underway, closing January 31.

Auckland Transport spokesman James Ireland says it’s likely the vehicles will be electric vans, but that won’t be confirmed until the tender process is complete.

The service would be available to customers living within a 3km radius of the ferry terminal, with rides being booked by via a smartphone app.

AT hopes to have the service up and running by mid-2018, with a view to expanding into other areas.

“We expect to know within the first few months of the trial’s start how we can improve it, whether it can be rolled out to other areas, and if so, which areas are the most likely to be the next candidates for a similar service,” Ireland says.

AT’s chief transport services officer Mark Lambert says it is an exciting opportunity to trial new technology.

“This trial will give customers more options to access the public transport network and attract new customers.”