Wellington, 17 May 2011.
Today Snapper steps up the pace in the Auckland region, and reveals some of the activity that is supporting the first phase of Auckland Transport’s Integrated Ticketing Programme – Hop.
Snapper and Hop powering up together.
Snapper CEO, Miki Szikszai, says “Snapper’s expertise in ticketing equipment, smartcards, logistics and customer support are being used to make Phase 1 of Hop happen. Having Snapper and Hop together in the market is incredibly powerful for the customer. This partnership means customers will get an integrated ticketing system for public transport from Auckland Transport, and the best nationwide everyday payments platform from Snapper – all in one package.”
Four projects in one.
Mr Szikszai says, “Deploying in Auckland has brought a new set of challenges for Snapper. We’ve launched in other markets before – Wellington and Hutt Valley – but the scale and pace of the operation in Auckland is something unique.
“The Auckland roll-out has been split into four regions and is happening with incredible speed – we are excited to bring the speed and convenience of the Snapper system to Aucklanders as part of the Hop scheme.
“The Snapper deployment involves four key streams of work across each of these regions:
- Supply and install Snapper’s ticketing equipment on all NZ Bus services.
- Supply a new, fully branded and packaged smartcard to replace the existing Go Rider card used in the Auckland market.
- Provide a large network of Snapper retailers throughout the Auckland market where customers can conveniently top up and spend.
- Provide great customer support.
“These are all significant sub-projects in themselves and Snapper has enlisted the support of trusted partners such as HTS for bus installations, ABnote for smartcard production, and EFTPOS NZ and Smartpay for retail installations.”
Retailer benefits are evident in Auckland market.
Mr Szikszai says, “We have been impressed with how well Snapper is understood by the retail market, and how ready the market is to adopt the Snapper system. For example, in Wellington it took about two years to reach 200 Snapper retailers. In Auckland, after three months, our retail team had signed up 100 retailers. One month later, and we’re already well past 250 Snapper retailers in Auckland. This is triple the retail footprint that Go Rider card holders were used to. And we’re not stopping there.”
150,000 smartcards handed out to commuters.
“In another stream of work, Snapper has commenced the massive logistical challenge of issuing nearly 150,000 Hop cards with a Snapper logo to existing Go Rider card holders. As part of the card issuing project over 100 additional staff are being employed, and will be located in and around places where we know Go Rider cards are used the most eg. busy bus stops, universities, schools, and shopping malls”, adds Mr Szikszai.
Connecting the old with the new.
Mr Szikszai says, “To help customers who still have money on their old Go Rider card, Snapper has developed a standalone PC-based application that will automatically transfer the balance of their old Go Rider card to their new Hop card with a Snapper logo in just a few seconds.
“We believe that Snapper is the first in the world to develop a tool like this that reads a 20-year old smartcard, calculates the value across all the transport products on it, and writes this as a single dollar value to a modern smartcard.”
The facts and figures.
The installation of on-bus equipment has been something of a mega project. Snapper shares some of the facts and figures that put this into perspective:
- house and unpack 31 pallets of equipment
- test over 4,000 pieces of complex electronic equipment
- spend 13,000 manhours pre-wiring buses
- tie nearly 70,000 cable ties (more cable ties had to be sourced from overseas in the middle of the project as the local New Zealand supply was exhausted)
- pop 4,500 rivets
- connect 34,000 screws, nuts and bolts
- stick 500 rolls of insulation tape
- connect 3,000m of steel tubing
- make and install 1,600 validator poles
- install 26,000m of conduit
- and feed 22,000m of cables into the conduit.
That’s just the part of the bus installation process that the public hasn’t noticed. In the next few weeks the Snapper team will:
- fit 1,600 validators
- install over 650 bus driver consoles
- connect an additional 22,000 screws and washers
- and plug in over 6,000 plugs
- then test that it all works.
All this without disrupting the bus services that are essential for over 60% of Auckland’s everyday commuters.
About Snapper.
Snapper has created a brand new payment category in New Zealand, based on instant everyday payments using contactless smart media.
Snapper offers customers integrated ticketing and instant everyday payments. The Snapper system in Wellington also provides valuable journey data that can be used to plan better transport services for passengers.
Snapper Services Limited was formed in 2006 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Infratil Limited. Snapper launched in 2008, has offices in Wellington and Auckland, New Zealand, and employs over 40 people.
Miki Szikszai, Snapper Services Limited, 027 4464 303.
snapper.co.nz
Over 165,000 Snappers have been issued in Wellington, generating over 40 million transactions across over 400 buses, 1000 taxis, and hundreds of retailers in New Zealand.
Ends
Issued by Snapper 17/05 /11.
For more information, photography, to arrange an interview please phone:
Miki Szikszai, Snapper Services Limited, 027 4464 303.
snapper.co.nz
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Snapper running at full throttle to support Auckland Transport – Media Release (PDF)
Sounds like that Snapper card will be our Hop Card
I am quite optimistic if Miki mentioned about the introduction of the snapper to Auckland and it is on a full throttle
I am having a full confidences on you guys!! Keep up with the good work
Jacky
150,000 Hop/Snappers issued for Auckland’s Phase 1 Hop. replacement of GO-Riders.
Phase 2, August-October’ish all currect Hops with Snapper Logo to be replaced again with the Plain Hop Card.
its going to be annoying but, will be worth the wait.
I am very happy with the Snapper Retail network rollout. Its fantastic. ( with West Auckland to still get agents, North Central and South is greatly covered – with more comming on board.
I got my new Hop today, was a good drive to get my free one (as a former go rider holder. Had to drive out the the shore didnt mind the drive but.
So when the Final Hop Only card comes on board in 3 or 4 months
i will have…….
1 x Red Snapper
1 x Hop (Snapper Logo)
1 x HOP -
who knows what I will do with 3 cards, LOL as the Hop 1 and Snapper Red wont work from Phase 2 and 3.
Might keep my red one for the purchases or when I fly to wellington next.
Hi Tee Jay
There is a national standard for integrated ticketing that is in the process of being finalised.
Snapper will comply with the national standard.
What that means is that Snapper will be interoperable with all other systems that comply with the national standard, and you wont have to think about which cards work where.
We agree it makes sense to have one card. At this stage it is too early to say how many cards you will have in a few months time and if you need to swap them out.
The best place to go for the most up to date list of Snapper retailers is here:
http://www.snapper.co.nz/snapper-in-retailers/
or check out the google map here:
http://bit.ly/ictic1
There are a bunch of other retailers that have signed up and will be installed over the next few weeks. If there are other specific retailers you want to accept Snapper, then let us know on info@snapper.co.nz.
Cheers
Gabor
Why is NZ so damned slow on the uptake? Its been a full 14 years since the launch of the ‘Octopus Card’ in HK.
Hi Nick
Deploying a system like this is a massive project that requires a huge amount of collective effort and a lot of financial backing.
Auckland is years ahead of some other much bigger cities. There is no shortage of failed attempts at similar deployments. Just look at Australia – Sydney is still struggling to get its system going after intending to launch before the 2000 Olympics. And the system in Melbourne is always in the news, for the wrong reasons.
It is not very fair to compare Hong Kong to New Zealand. There is a significant population difference (that affects the economics drastically), there is a completely different regulatory environment, and it took a long time for Octopus to evolve to where it is now.
The plan in Auckland is to have a fully integrated system operational in two years. That is damn quick by international standards.
Snapper is pleased to have been involved in fast tracking phase 1 of the Auckland system, and where we can we will contribute more over the next year or so.
Cheers
Gabor
I was told today that buses in Auckland do not accept the snapper cards. Several bus drivers dont accept this card. I spoke to a snapper salesman and he suggested taking the card to britomart to get a refund as he had members of the public say that they have been refused on buses. I have now spent time and money using this snapper card and have now switched to hop. What use is the snapper card if the NZ bus network doesnt recognise it?
Hi Kingston,
Snapper is accepted on buses in Auckland.
Please let us know who specifically told you that Snapper is not accepted on buses in Auckland so we can correct this.
Cheers
Gabor
I was quite happy with the previous system for the daily school bus rides of 3 and 4 zones on Waka Pacific for my 11yr old daughter. We are having to change to the hop card and so far not at all happy. Unable to transfer trips onto the new hop card.. forced to change to e-money which I do not want. Told have to have $10 on card before can use it .. child has been charged 1 or more ‘penalties’ despite card having been observed having been used correctly. Unable to access the site to register the card and monitor so-called charges. Unable to have emoney and rides on the same card. We want to have ‘rides’ loaded and have been trapped with e-money.
WHAT A MESS ! It sure looks like you care about the parents and kids who have to use this system .. NOT…Will be cheaper to use the train or drive .. if this continues. .. I see no complaints process advertised. .
Glenda – Interesting to here, what is you’r reasoning about using trips instead of e-money? Only asking as I prefer E-Money since it has the same discount as using trips on these cards.
Also I wonder if you’r daughter is just swiping her card without waiting for the visual or sound confirmation of being tagged off. Only mentioning as every time I’ve used it been good, and I haven’t even taken it out of my wallet.
Remember Hop is also coming to trains this year, albeit rumors are Thales have better readers.
Hi Glenda
If you are topping up a Hop card at a Snapper retailer or a Snapper kiosk you can put any amount onto the card. The card can store up to $300 on it – obviously that is more useful for an adult as opposed to your daughter.
If there are any transactions that you are unsure of, email us the 16 digit card number and we’ll look into it. The address is info@snapper.co.nz.
You can register your card on the Snapper website at http://www.snapper.co.nz/register. This is highly recommend, especially for school kids, because if the card is lost or stolen we can stop it from further use once you’ve let us know, and we can transfer any unused money to a replacement card.
You can indeed have e-money and ten trips loaded on the card at the same time. If you have been told otherwise, let us know where and we will correct this. e-money offers the best flexibility, so your daughter will be able to travel 3 stages, 4 stages, or any number of stages as long as she has enough money on her card to do so.
Cheers
Gabor
Kingston is right!! Ive been kicked off buses so many times because I have a stupid Snapper and not a Hop. I just don’t get it. Who is Hop and who is Snapper? or are the drivers to blame? *sighs* paying cash for my trips.. save me the embarrassment.
Kingston/Jason
The cards are the same. Use your card through your wallet and it will be sweet
Rich
Hello Kingston
The card is so good that it will talk to the machine even without taking out from your wallet…
N next time don’t take it out and show it to everybody that you are using your snapper card… This is what I did at Wellington anyway… Put my hop card inside my wallet and use as I normally do…
And also highly recommended… Like around 500m before u leave the bus, tag off so that u don’t have to rush or panic…
Glenda… It will be much more amazing when it is at e-money caused snapper is going to be a network that can replace everything like eftpos do… One card u can do everything!!!
Jacky
Can someone please explain to me the process that occurs from the moment I load money onto my HOP card until it is recognised on the buses.
It seems to me that if the card is empty (zero value) and not in a negative value, that I can load money onto it today and it will not be recognised by the buses until the next day.
Look forward to your reply.
Colin