The New Zealand Transport Agency has commissioned an independent review of its $1.3 billion national ticketing solution – Motu Move – in the wake of ongoing delays. \
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Public transport users and providers will have to wait until August to find out more after delays to the $1.3 billion Motu Move national public transport ticketing programme.
Motu Move was supposed to be launched in Canterbury this year before being introduced across all regions by end of 2026. However, Waka Kotahi/New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said it pushed back the first rollout in Timaru and Temuka in a May 30 update, making it the third delay in nine months.
Motu Move would phase in electronic payments and a new smart card that could pay for public transport fares nationwide, replacing existing ones like the Snapper card in Wellington, Auckland’s AT Hop card and the Bee Card used in 10 regions
The new system – meant to unify the multiple different bus cards across New Zealand and enable contactless card payments – was meant to have launched in Canterbury by now, but no longer has a release date.
Transport Minister Chris Bishop has asked the agency to please explain, while the Taxpayers Union is calling for the whole programme to be scrapped.
It follows a May 30 update from NZTA that Motu Move – first due to roll-out in Timaru in early 2025, followed by Greater Christchurch in mid-2025, then the rest of Aotearoa – has been delayed for a third time.
