Public Bus Services North Waikato Pokeno - Pokekohe

⁠⁠⁠This request for tender (RFT) relates to the procurement of regular scheduled public bus services to connect the townships of Pukekohe, Tuakau and Pokeno.

The townships of Tuakau and Pokeno (located within the Waikato Region) have relatively small populations that are growing rapidly. Pukekohe (located within the Auckland Region) is a key employment, healthcare, recreation and shopping centre for communities within Tuakau and Pokeno. Pukekohe also offers connections into Auckland via Auckland Transport’s public transport network.

Service specifications are included within the Unit Contact. By way of summary the service is deigned to:

• enable access to essential services within and between the respective townships
• enable connections to bus and rail services at Pukekohe rail station
• operate 7 days per week
• offer more connections during weekday commuter periods compared with other time periods

The service will have a peak vehicle requirement of two buses, supported by an additional spare vehicle (three vehicles in total).

The service is proposed as a trial service with an initial two-year term with the potential to extend for a further one year. In any event WRC and partners intend on provisioning permanent public transport solutions for communities in north Waikato. Learnings from the trial will inform the design and extent of future service provision.

This RFT also seeks to leverage contracted vehicles to provide rail replacement services between Papakura and Hamilton from time to time. Provision of rail replacement services is not a mandatory requirement of this contract. Rather the framework within the Unit Contract enables the provision of services in the event a replacement service is requested by WRC (or nominated representative) and the service provider agrees to provide the service on a case by case basis. Provision of rail replacement services is on a non-exclusive basis and WRC may utilise services from any or multiple service providers at its sole discretion.