Timaru’s MyWay is here to stay
Timaru’s MyWay by Metro on-demand public transport service has been made permanent, following a successful trial that started in 2020.
We have also appointed incumbent trial operator Ritchies until 2032, after a successful tender to provide public transport services in Timaru. Councils are required to periodically test the market for public transport services, to ensure they deliver the best possible service at the best value for ratepayers.
In addition to MyWay becoming permanent, we are able to increase capacity on school and Temuka routes. The new contract gives us the ability to increase capacity on the school and Temuka routes and also comes at a decreased cost to our ratepayers.
The MyWay fleet will be zero-emissions, excluding when spare vehicles are required, with improved emissions vehicles that will be used for the school and Temuka routes. All of the vehicles being used by the operator will also be equipped with copper-free brake pads.
The community had strongly supported MyWay, and that the service had reached an exciting milestone, recording the city’s highest level of patronage for almost a quarter of a century.
We recorded almost 267,000 passenger trips in Timaru over the 2023–24 Financial Year, which is fantastic given where we were before MyWay was introduced.
The previous record was 263,000 trips recorded in the 2001–02 Financial Year.
We want to take this opportunity to thank Timaru residents for their ongoing support which has helped make this service such a success.