Bee Card (payment card)
The Bee Card is an electronic fare payment smart card that is used on bus services in ten regions of New Zealand, along with the Te Huia train service between Hamilton (Waikato) and Auckland. It can also be used on Queenstown Ferries. It is used as a tag on-tag off card on buses, with paper tickets remaining available for use for each of the individual region’s public transport network systems.
 Bee Cards replaced BUSIT cards in Waikato on 1 July 2020 | |
| Location | Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Invercargill, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Taranaki, Waikato, Manawatū–Whanganui |
|---|---|
| Launched | November 2019 |
| Technology |
|
| Manager | Bee Card Regional Consortium |
| Currency | NZD |
| Stored-value | Pay as you go |
| Auto recharge | Auto Top Up |
| Validity |
|
| Retailed |
|
| Website | https://beecard.co.nz |
First launched in late 2019 in Northland, it has since expanded to regions including Manawatū–Whanganui, Invercargill, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Nelson, Hawke's Bay and Otago with Taranaki switching to the Bee Card in late 2020, ending the main rollout. Gisborne's GizzyBus was added to the system in 2022, along with Queenstown Ferries. It also replaced the separate pre-existing fare card systems that were used by individual regional councils such as the BUSIT card (Waikato) and the GoCard (Otago).
History
Background
The National Ticketing Solution (NTS) is a proposed nationwide electronic public transport ticketing system, expected to be implemented by 2026.[1][2][3][4][5] The Bee Card is an interim ticketing system to be used until the implementation of the nationwide system.[6][7]
In 2013, nine regional councils formed a “Regional Consortium” to represent their interests in public transport matters, which led to the creation of the Bee Card.[8]
Rollout timeline
The rollout of the card was gradual.
- On 20 November 2019, Whangārei was the first city to use the system.[9]
- The second city to rollout the card was Whanganui on 9 December 2019.[10] Other places in the Manawatū–Whanganui region (i.e. Palmerston North, Ashhurst, Feilding, Levin, and Marton) switched to the system between December 2019 and July 2020,[11][12] as it was delayed over teething problems.[13][14]
- Invercargill replaced its Bus Smart card with Bee Card on 22 June 2020.[15]
- Waikato switched from BUSIT cards to Bee Cards on 6 July 2020.[16][17]
- Bee Card was introduced to the Bay of Plenty's Katikati, Kawerau, Omokoroa, Ōpōtiki, Rotorua and Whakatāne on 20 July and to Tauranga on 27 July 2020, replacing both the Tauranga and Rotorua Smartride cards.[18][19]
- Nelson's NBus Card was replaced on 3 August 2020.[20]
- Hawke's Bay replaced its goBay cards on 24 August 2020.[21]
- The Bee Card replaced the GoCard in Dunedin on 1 September 2020 and in Queenstown on 15 September 2020. A simplified fare structure and implementation of the Bee Card led to increased bus passenger numbers in Dunedin.[22][23]
- Taranaki replaced its Citylink and Connector cards with the Bee Card on 19 October 2020.[24][25] With cheaper fares and an easier payment method, an example of the Bee Card rollout’s benefits was an increase in individual bus trips on Taranaki’s Waitara route.[26][27]
- The Te Huia train accepted the Bee Card from its first service on 6 April 2021.[28][29]
- The GizzyBus system in Gisborne (along a replacement of its previous smartcard) was added to the Bee Card system in 2022.[30] At around the same time, Otago's Queenstown Ferries was also added to the system.[31]
Operation
The Bee Card is used in ten regions of New Zealand. These regions are (from north to south):[32]
- Northland
- Waikato
- Bay of Plenty
- Gisborne
- Hawke's Bay
- Taranaki
- Manawatū–Whanganui
- Nelson
- Otago
- Southland.
The card is tapped at a card reader when boarding a bus and upon alighting which deducts the relevant fare based on how many zones is travelled in some regions,[33][34] or a flat fare in other regions,[33][35][36] regardless of distance travelled.[37] The Te Huia train uses a portable onboard card reader that a passenger attendant uses to remotely scan each passenger's card to deduct the relevant fare based on distance travelled.[28][29] It can also be used on Queenstown Ferries.[38][39]
See also
References
- "National Ticketing Solution | Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency". www.nzta.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 6 March 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- L, Matt (25 October 2022). "A new National Ticketing System". Greater Auckland. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- "New national ticketing system for NZ". www.govtechreview.com.au. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- "One stop ticketing solution for public transport". The Beehive. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- "New system to let Kiwis pay for train, bus via phone, credit card". 1 News. Archived from the original on 21 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
- "Bye-bye Bee Card – new ticket system launched". Otago Daily Times Online News. 21 October 2022. Archived from the original on 21 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
- "Bee Card is not to be in 2–3 years". Otago Daily Times Online News. 22 October 2022. Archived from the original on 21 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
- "Partnering for a National Ticketing Programme" (PDF). Greater Wellington Regional Council. 8 February 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- "Bee Card is here!". Northland Regional Council. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- "New electronic card for Whanganui bus travellers". Whanganui Chronicle. 20 November 2019. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- "Bee Card is nearly here!". Horizons Region. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- Galuszka, Jono (5 November 2019). "New bus ticket system set to go live in December". Stuff. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- Galuszka, Jono (12 January 2020). "Bee not ready to buzz for wider Manawatū bus users". Stuff. Archived from the original on 12 January 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
- "Passengers to ride the buses with Bee Card from next week". NZ Herald. 27 May 2023. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- "Bee Card". Invercargill City Council. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- "New Bee Card starts July on Raglan bus". www.raglan23.co.nz. Archived from the original on 21 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
- "New prepay bus fare system for Hamilton". Stuff. 26 June 2020. Archived from the original on 9 April 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
- "bee-card.pdf" (PDF). Tauranga City Council. 23 June 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- School, Aquinas (30 June 2020). "Bay Bus New Bus Card | Aquinas College | Tauranga NZ". Aquinas College. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- "Bee Card: Nelson's new electronic bus card is here". Our Nelson. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- "Bee Card bus ticket system launches in Hawke's Bay". NZ Herald. 21 May 2023. Archived from the original on 21 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
- "New $2 online bus card – and free until September". Crux. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- "The Bee Card Launches In Dunedin Next Week | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. 28 August 2020. Archived from the original on 21 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
- Coster, Deena (7 September 2020). "Older passengers express 'anxiety' over new bus card payment scheme". Stuff. Archived from the original on 7 September 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- Persico, Christina (9 October 2020). "Taranaki public transport buses free until October 17 for pay system transition". Stuff. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- Ashworth, Craig (4 August 2022). "Waitara bus route booms with cheap tickets". Stuff. Archived from the original on 21 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
- "Fare-ly easy system for buses". NZ Herald. 27 May 2023. Archived from the original on 21 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- "Fares – Te Huia train". www.tehuiatrain.co.nz. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- "Waikato's $98m rail punt – will it get people out of cars?". Stuff. 26 March 2021. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- "New bus card to be introduced in May". Gisborne District Council. 27 January 2022. Archived from the original on 8 February 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- "Bee prepared for cheaper ferry trips". Otago Daily Times Online News. 26 October 2022. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- "INIT provides nine New Zealand regions with ticketing system". INIT GmbH. Archived from the original on 12 January 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
- The citations are only one example of each type of how fares are deducted. Each regional council calculates their own fare structure and whether they use zones and/or flat fares.
- "Fares – BUSIT". BUSIT. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- "Fare-ly easy system for buses". NZ Herald. 21 May 2023. Archived from the original on 21 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
- "Fares and GoCards – Queenstown". www.orc.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- "Beecard – How it Works". beecard.co.nz. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- "Queenstown ferries buzzing to use Bee Cards". RNZ. 25 October 2022. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- "Queenstown Ferries – Frankton to Queenstown Bay". queenstownferries.co.nz. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
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