Posted: 17 July 2007
Millionth bus passenger carried
A Whangarei library assistant has been officially recognised as the one millionth passenger carried by the Whangarei Bus Service.
The highly successful urban-based service – administered by the Northland Regional Council – has operated since July 2000 with records indicating the millionth passenger would be carried on Wednesday last week.
Chris Powell, the Council’s Regional Transport Team Leader, says with no way to tell exactly what time on Wednesday the millionth passenger would be carried, Onerahi man Daniel Kirkland was chosen at random from passengers aboard a city-bound bus to officially receive the honour.
Mr Kirkland, a Circulation Services Assistant at Whangarei’s Central Library, says the recognition – which also entitles him to one year’s free bus travel – had come out the blue and admits some surprise that so many people have already been carried by what is still a relatively new service.
And he says he’s impressed by what he finds to be a reliable service with “a great bunch” of hardworking drivers.
Mr Powell says records show the number of passengers using the service – funded by the Whangarei District Council and Land Transport NZ - has grown quickly. “Passenger numbers have almost trebled from just under 80,000 in its first year of operation to almost 200,000 in the 12 months to the end of last month.”
Mr Kirkland, Whangarei Bus Services owners Gavin and Shona Roberts, their drivers, administration staff and Regional and District Council representatives were among a small group which braved the torrential rain last week to mark the millionth passenger milestone with lunch and a celebratory cake.