Each time I write in praise of public transport, I end up having to eat my words. On Monday I was lauding the increased patronage figures in Auckland but by 8.15 on Wednesday night, I didn’t care whether I ever saw another commuter bus in my life. Mainly because, for the past hour, I hadn’t…

The electronic helper kept reassuring me 005 was DLY until just before 7.30 when it just disappeared. The next Link was now 28 minutes away – so much for the 15-minute gap – and the rain had taken a break, so I started walking, muttering like a crazy man about lying real-time indicator boards.

This has been my experience of late with this service as well.  I actually went as far as phoning the Maxx complaint number – 3666 400, but the operator convinced me that I had merely just missed my bus. There is nothing, I repeat nothing, more frustrating than waiting at a bus stop for a bus that never turns up.

It will be great if ARTA could respond to 1) why there was a delay and 2) what the plan is for the dodgy indicator boards.