The Loco Loco Madness Continues . . . . .
I see that Gold Card holders have been getting free travel on the Loco Loco . It has been 'estimated' that this is 24% of the people using this train . I don't know whether that has been measured , or just estimated . They ( Government and councils -- also known as us ) have been throwing around $18 million a year at this ( it is suppoosedly going to reduce to $12 million ) , and no-one has accurately measured this ?
BUT also , is this Grandad and Grandma going on a day trip once a year to the big smoke , or is it someone over 65 , still working , getting their pay each week , plus getting a pension , plus getting free travel ?
It has also been 'estimated' that 30% of the users are from Auckland .
So Waikato councils are paying literally $millions a year each , to subsidise people going to work in Auckland ? And also paying for Aucklanders to travel at subsidised rates to Hamilton ( mainly ) but possibly the greater Waikato .
And last year it was decided that it wasn't losing enough money , so they have put on extra trains on Thursdays and Fridays , so it can lose even more money .
And now , you cannot make upo this madness -- it is proposed by the councils involved that Gold Card holders won't get free travel any more , UNLESS they travel on these 'extra' Thursday and Friday trains .
Presumably , these 'extra' trains aren't getting many people , so they will make the figures look better by saying 'Oh , we have had a 200% increase in patronage on these trains' or some other dishonest reinterpretation of the figures .
And you know what happens on the other days ? Well , obviously there will be less people ( about 24% if their estimates are correct ) or maybe a slight increase in paying passengers , as Thursdays and Fridays may not suit some Gold Card holders . Fair enough . Except these incredibly intelligent councillors don't seem to have realised -- it costs the same to run a train whether you have 60 people or 80 people on it .
As a matter of principle ( every return trip is being subsidised by between $400-500 per passenger per day ) I will not go on this train , but my basic understanding is it is almost never fully patronised ( except maybe some Saturdays -- that is ironic as it was originally 'sold' as being for 'workers' to get to work in Auckland , now it seems it is more to take shoppers away from local shops , and/or to take families on a day out to Auckland .
If it was cost neutral it wouldn't be so bad , but it is only recovering around 8% of what it actually costs , to me it make absolutely no sense on any level .
There are already several buses a day ( which are cost neutral -- in fact , they have to cover costs or they won't be there in a year ) and this train ( which not only costs heaps , it is taking passengers from the privately owned bus companies , and as far as I can work out , is about 8 to 10 times worse for the enviroment per trip than a bus is . So why do some councillors keep on with this idiotic train set ?
Secure your homes over summer
Police are reminding people to keep their homes secure during the summer months.
Inspector Glenda Barnaby, Christchurch Area Prevention manager, says daytime burglaries are just as common as nightime burglaries.
“Burglaries can be committed at any time of the day, and coming into warmer months there is more opportunity for thieves."
"Although a majority of burglaries involve forced entry through windows and doors, we are starting to see more incidents at insecure premises. Police deal with cases where burglaries are committed in broad daylight, sometimes even while the victim is at home. Good weather means open doors and windows, which makes homes more vulnerable to burglars.”
Inspector Barnaby says there’s a few things people can do to reduce their changes of a burglary being committed.
⚠️ If you’re going outside for gardening, relaxing in the sun, or working in the garage, take a moment to lock your doors and secure your windows first.
⚠️ Do the same at night when you go to bed - keep your doors and windows secure and close your curtains. Fitting window stays means you can get a breeze coming through, while keeping your windows secure.
⚠️ Get to know your neighbours - let them know if you’re going away and look out for one another.”
If you see any suspicious activity, people or vehicles in your neighbourhood, don't hesitate to contact Police.
If you witness or suspect any illegal activity, please call 111 if it is happening now, or make a report through 105 either online or over the phone, if it is after the fact.
Poll: Are our Kiwi summer holidays helping us recharge, or holding the economy back? ☀️🥝
There’s growing debate about whether New Zealand’s extended Christmas break (and the slowdown that comes with it) affects productivity.
Tracy Watkins has weighed in ... now it’s your turn. What’s your take? 🤔
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72.7% We work hard, we deserve a break!
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16.3% Hmm, maybe?
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11% Yes!
Brain Teaser of the Day 🧠✨ Can You Solve It? 🤔💬
How many balls of string does it take to reach the moon?
(Peter from Carterton kindly provided this head-scratcher ... thanks, Peter!)
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm on the day!
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