Source: Radio New Zealand
Cost-of-living pressures are picking up again, driven in part by sharp increases in fuel prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
So, are people ditching their cars, dusting off their bikes, or turning to public transport to save money?
At Auckland’s Waitematā Station, commuters poured off trains into the central city, with buses and the downtown ferry terminal just steps away, making it one of the city’s busiest transport hubs.
One commuter said they’ve noticed a clear shift.
“I notice on the train it’s getting really busy. Yeah, a lot more people are using it, which is good.”
They said rising fuel and parking costs were even changing how they think about short trips.
RNZ / Nick Monro
“I’m even thinking … where I normally work, I’m only probably a 10-minute drive away … maybe I’ll start using my e-bike … between parking and the petrol … you’re still using a lot of gas. And I’d rather save it for doing trips I really want to do in the car.”
But another Auckland commuter said public transport still didn’t work for everything.
“Yeah, we use the cars to get around because convenience-wise, public transport’s no good. You can’t really pop down the road and do the shopping effectively… so we still need the cars.”
He said the flexibility of working from home was a bonus when it came to beating petrol prices.
Meanwhile, a third commuter in Auckland said cost was already shaping their routine.
“Choosing that option specifically because of the cost is the main reason … it just sort of reinforces it further with the cost of living and the petrol prices going up.”
In the capital, some people were already leaving the car at home.
RNZ / Nick Monro
“I walked to work today because I thought, ‘I’d better not use the car’,” said this commuter.
Another Wellington commuter estimated the savings were adding up.
“I would be driving in, but it’s too expensive a lot of the time, so public transport is better. I can save around $100 a week.”
Others said they’re cutting back on extra trips.
“I probably won’t drive up to the Kāpiti Coast like I used to, just to go to the market. You need to be more thoughtful in each trip you plan.”
But not everyone was convinced habits have fully changed yet.
“Energy prices have definitely moved up, but I’m not sure that’s changing people’s habits yet. It might have [to] if petrol goes to $3.20.”
And for some, it’s not just fuel prices dictating new commuting habits.
RNZ / Nick Monro
“I train in, then I walk to work, and it’s mainly because of higher parking, actually,” said one man.
In Christchurch, some commuters said they didn’t have the flexibility to change. A woman RNZ spoke to said she was still driving despite the cost and was worried about how to keep managing it within her budget.
“I am still driving, but it’s using up a lot of my gas … I don’t know what I’m going to do next … I assume I’m just going to keep driving because I have to get places … I have to get my kids to school.”
Another commuter in Christchurch said public transport simply wasn’t viable for their route.
“It’s really hard to get public transport to where I work because it’s just out of Rolleston … I have to drive there all the time, so it’s eating a lot of fuel.”
In Queenstown, where petrol was sitting between $3.15 and $3.19 per litre, commuters say the cost is biting.
RNZ / Nick Monro
“I travel daily from Glenorchy to Queenstown, so does my husband. It’s just getting so hard to cope.”
Another said they have no alternative.
“Where I live, I have no public transport in the morning. The only way I can get to work before 6 o’clock is using my car, so I have been dealing with the increase as I can manage. At the end of the day, you’ve got to pay it.”
Some were trying to adapt where they can.
A Queenstown commuter said they’re biking more often.
“I do drive occasionally, but more recently biking has become a cheaper alternative … you just have to limit where you go, don’t you? Because it’s just so expensive, and it’s already expensive enough to live in Queenstown.”
Others were making bigger changes.
“I just bought a hybrid car … that was sort of prompted by obviously the fuel prices and the war in Iran … I thought, ‘right, now’s the time’,” said a man who commuted daily from Cromwell to Queenstown.
He was also looking for ways to cut costs day-to-day.
“I’ve got the [fuel price] app on my phone, so I normally stick to the cheapest fuel station in Cromwell, but I’ll definitely be looking for new strategies,” he said.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
