The Kowhai Connection is an on-demand public transport service being prototyped in the Matakana / Warkworth area north of Auckland. Once proved and refined the model will be replicated in other rural communities across New Zealand.
Bevan Woodward
The Warkworth / Matakana area has no public transport service, but research shows that traditional public transport services to a dispersed population struggle with low numbers and high costs.
By setting up a demand responsive service, the community will be able to travel when they want to – with door-to-door services complementing a scheduled service that will run between Warkworth and Matakana via Snells Beach.
Vodafone and Argus Tracking have provided pro-bono support to this project.
Matakana / Warkworth
The trial started in March 2013.
The service will be monitored and tested, and if the pilot is successful, Hikurangi will work with Bevan to develop a business model that can be replicated in other rural areas across New Zealand.