A year of personal transport change

The past year has seen a huge change in how people get around, into and out of Auckland’s city centre.

As well as the entry of dockless bike and electric scooters, we’ve seen the launch of Ola and DriveHer to rival Uber and Zoomy in the rideshare space, the arrival of Kwikli dockless electric mopeds (on the North Shore only but expected to arrive in the city centre early in 2019) and the swift expansion of car share services like Cityhop and newcomers Yoogo Share, Auckland city centre business association Heart of the City Auckland says.

There’s been a big shift in the mobility landscape in the last year, with more and more people considering alternative modes of transport over the private car, Cityhop general manager Ben Carter says.

“This year alone we have had over 50,000 car sharing trips in Cityhop vehicles. Our fleet has doubled in size over the last 12 months, with over 100 car share vehicles to choose from in Auckland.”

Cityhop is switching to more EVs too.

It had a couple a year ago and now has 12, with a further 20 to be launched over the next few months.

Electric and alternative transport is also on the rise for goods and services.

On a Mission launched its ‘last mile’ cargo bike service in partnership with traditional courier companies earlier in 2018. Recently, ‘Uber walkers’ have been delivering lunches from city restaurants.

Phantom Billstickers uses a cargo bike to get its posters around the city centre.

To keep the city moving and future proof for loading and servicing the association has worked with Auckland Transport to form a reference group.

Public transport use is growing quickly and will rise once the City Rail Link is completed.

Electric bikes are among an increase in cyclists using the growing network of shared pathways into and around the city.