nakedbus.com

We are pleased to announce two important additions to the nakedbus.com^® network. Though both small towns both Hikuai and Bulls provide important connections to other parts of the country.

New Plymouth is the central place for the Taranki region, while Bulls is convenient for Wanganui.

You can book to either of these destinations now.

And of course you can get there from $1 (plus booking fee).

Wednesday, 20 December 2006, 10:00 am
Press Release: Nakedbus.com^® 19 December 2006
Nakedbus.com^® brands competitors’ price rises disappointing

A popular new city to city bus service has branded its competitors’ price rises as disappointing.

Nakedbus.com^® services more than 60 North Island centres with its no frills approach to domestic travel boasting bus fares as low as $1.70.

Managing Director Hamish Nuttall says the Auckland Regional Transport Authority’s price hike could prove counter-productive.

He agrees with Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee’s criticisms that the price rises come at a bad time for workers and students.

“The increased fares for buses and trains seem to indicate a lack of competitive pressure. There seems to be little competition for passengers which means that operators aren’t forced to be price competitive. We recognise that we are competing against the private car and even airlines as well as high cost bus services so we have to be extremely sharp with our pricing,” says Nuttall.

Nuttall says competitors’ claims that fuel and operating costs has forced them to push up their prices are questionable.

”Some costs are increasing though not as much as other bus company prices are. The biggest cost is however carrying empty seats. Nakedbus.com^®’s business model is to fill those empty seats which make our low fares viable.”

Based on hugely successful British transport models like Easyjet, Nakedbus.com^® cuts the overhead costs from the ticketing process by providing ‘internet only’ ticketing (www.nakedbus.com) instead of expensive salespeople.

While consumers use the online ticketing option resulting savings are passed onto the travellers allowing each bus trip to offer dramatically reduced fares.

Nuttall is also concerned about the effect negative publicity surrounding the price rises will have on the industry as a whole.

”It would be a real shame to see this have the consumer turn off public transport when it has such potential to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels, reduce pollution and increase accessibility. Some people will revert to car use and those that have no alternative will be forced to pay the higher cost.”

Nuttall says not only will the consumers suffer but the region as a whole will now find it difficult to promote public transport to a cynical public.

nakedbus.com^® is New Zealand’s low cost city to city bus service. Since we launched 11 short weeks ago we have introduced several innovations into the city to city travel market, including low, low fares starting from $1 (plus 70c booking fee).

Now we are trialling a special service to the Big Day Out on 19 January 2007. There will be one bus only leaving Tauranga at 7AM (and now WAIHI at 7.35am) to arrive in time for the start of the Big Day Out. The bus will return at the conclusion of the Big Day Out. The prices quoted are for the RETURN trip.

To take advantage of this, please search for trips between Tauranga or Waihi and the Big Day Out.

Let us know if you would like us to run to Big Day Out from other locations. Please make a comment below, or send us an email via the Contact section.

Please note that prices are for the bus only. Admission is extra.

This is a trial service only; fares still start from $1 (for the return trip).

Even if you don’t live in Tauranga or Waihi you can get to the Big Day Out with nakedbus.com from many North Island destinations. See our route map for where we go. You can find details of our times and stops here.

All our bookings are online (please us the booking form on the left hand side of the homepage).

If you are new to nakedbus.com^®, have a look around. You will find our prices are unbeatable. If you register, you can earn free trips, and if you tell your friends you can earn free trips even faster. registration is on the homepage.

If you book between today and Christmas Day, 25 December, you will earn double nakedrewards. You will also earn double nakedrewards if your friends book nakedbus.com^® tickets (if they registered using your reference).

So now there is even more reason to book with nakedbus.com^®. remember that you can use nakedrewards to buy tickets on nakedbus.com, so with double nakedrewards between now and Christmas you will be able to travel for free sooner!

If you haven’t registered yet, why don’t you here? It takes two minutes and means that you can earn free trips!

Now you can pay for your low cost nakedbus.com^® tickets using internet banking, This will be extremely useful for customers who don’t have credit cards.

We think this is a first for a transport service, at least in New Zealand. Look out for other new features soon.

Credit cards are still the easiest way to pay as the transaction is instant – If you use internet banking, you need to wait for the money to clear (usually overnight) before you can buy a ticket.

You must be registered to use internet banking. When you are logged in just click on the internet banking link on the left hand side of the home page – you will be given full instructions and a reference code which you must put on your payment reference so we can identify it.

Remember that the price of tickets can go up so make sure you credit enough money to cover this, and you must also have enough money to cover the 70c booking fee.

As always we welcome feedback on this feature. Use the comment link below

Welcome to the new site. We have changed web host so that we can support users with IE7. There may be some teething problems as we switch over, but you should notice a sharper website with better information, and easier to use.

Some changes:

• the site now supports users with IE7 without trashing the formatting
• We have put news headlines on the front page so you can see at a glance if there are new routes.
• The graphics are sharper.

We hope that the new site wil be easier to maintain and keep up to date. It should also be easier to use!

We welcome comments on the site. Just click on the link below.

nakedbus.com^® is delighted to announce our latest new service – from Auckland to Thames, Tairua and Whitianga. The new service runs daily, (except for Statutory Holidays) and fares start at $1!.

The new service starts on December 1, just in time for the busy Summer season.

So travel to the Coromandel with nakedbus.com^® and save more money for when you are there!

We are changing bus timetables from 25 November 2006. This is to improve reliability and provide trips at times that have been asked for by customers. To find the new detailed times search for the trip you want on the booking form after 25 November 2006.

We are also reluctantly cancelling the Hamilton to Auckland commuter service due to lack of demand.

The changes only affect services in the top half of the North Island. Other services are not changing.

This is a summary of the changes:

• First bus from Auckland to Hamilton and Rotorua is now 8AM instead of 9AM
• Auckland to Hamilton, Rotorua, Taupo and Hawkes Bay – now 12 midday
• Auckland to Hamilton, Cambridge & Tauranga – now 4.15PM
• Auckland to Hamilton at 5.15PM is cancelled
• Rotorua to Hamilton and Auckland now 4PM instead of 1PM giving you more time in Rotorua.
• The early morning commuter service from Hamilton to Auckland is cancelled.

We hope these changes will provide a better service. if you are already booked you will receive an email with your options.

As always, we welcome feedback.

Due to the fantastic demand for our Hawkes Bay to Wellington service, we are introducing another service each way each day. The new service starts on 18 December just in time for Christmas.

The new service leaves Wellington at 9AM and Napier at 3.05PM.

Bookings are open now. And remember fares still start at $1 (plus 70c booking fee).

Now you can change your bookings live on the website. If you need to change your booking simply enter your booking number in the change booking box on the left (if you are logged in you only need to click on ?view details? and make your changes.

There are a few things you need to know:

• you must change your booking at least 24 hours before the date of travel – this is so we can resell the seat to someone else
• if the new seat is more expensive that the old seat you must pay the difference
• if the new seat is less expensive, there is no refund
• there is a 70c booking fee as usual
• in addition there is a 70c change booking fee.

Apart from that it is simple to use.

Please note that we will no longer be able to change bookings via email or the 0900 phone service.