Parties contesting New Zealand's election are promoting different transport measures. National is promising more major roads, while Labour and the Greens are pledging public transport fare caps. An analysis argues these measures will not ease immediate fuel cost pressures or fix unreliable bus and train services. The government's transport programme allocates NZ$6.4 billion to public transport over three years, but councils are expected to recover more costs through fares. The writer says the next government should focus on reliable alternatives that give households more practical choices.
Melbourne rideshare startup Mayte says it will pay drivers 97 per cent of the base fare, distance and time charges. The company charges passengers a flat $3 service fee and 3 per cent of the fare. Co-founder Bhargav Chava says the model is designed to show passengers and drivers where each dollar goes. Mayte launched across Greater Melbourne on 6 September and has more than 1,000 registered drivers and 650 passengers. Its main challenge is winning regular riders in a market where Uber is established.
Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has pledged to cap public transport fares at $30 a week if Labor is re-elected next month. The cap would run for two years until December 2028, which Victorian Labor estimates will cost $206 million. Carroll says savings elsewhere will offset the cost. The pledge follows a $30-a-week freeway toll cap announced a day earlier. The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged all major parties to show fiscal restraint, warning that businesses and households carry the state's debt.
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Concession holders across Victoria can now pay for public transport journeys using a bank card, smartphone or smartwatch. To link a concession, passengers must first tap on at any reader on the network, then follow prompts on the Transport Victoria website. Metro and V/Line staff can help with setup. Concession holders should still carry proof of entitlement. The state government says more than 16 million contactless trips have been taken since March. Paper tickets, myki cards and eTickets remain available, and under-18s can still travel free on Youth myki. Half-price fares run until the end of the year.
