Wednesday 29 January 2025
To get ready for the new National Ticketing Solution, called Motu Move, expiry terms and conditions for Bee cards are being updated around the country. A public notice is being published tomorrow, 30 January, and customers can view the updated Ts and Cs on Beecard.co.nz.
Otago Regional Council General Manager Planning and Transport Anita Dawe says, “Motu Move is the new ticketing and payment system that is a partnership between the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi and 13 public transport authorities and is being rolled out across New Zealand, including in Otago.
“Motu Move customers will be able to pay for public transport using contactless credit or debit cards, and digital payment methods such as Apple Pay or Google Pay on their phone or smartwatch. Prepaid Motu Move cards will also be available for people who can’t or don’t want to use contactless payment options,” she says.
Bee card terms and conditions are being updated because Motu Move will be introduced region by region over the next two years, which means Bee Cards will expire at different times, depending which region they were issued in.
A Motu Move pilot on the Route 29 bus from Christchurch Airport to the city started in December 2024 and is going well. It’s testing the contactless payment component of the system to make sure customers have a smooth transition to Motu Move.
In addition, Auckland Transport has offered contactless payments to their customers on their existing system since November 2024, the first step in their journey towards moving across to Motu Move.
When will Motu Move be introduced to Otago?
Motu Move will be implemented in Timaru and Temuka from early 2025 followed by Greater Christchurch. It will then be introduced to the rest of New Zealand, region by region. A detailed rollout schedule will be confirmed shortly, and currently ORC is programmed to change in early 2026.
“We will make sure we give all our public transport users plenty of notice about when we are moving across, and what happens with their Bee Cards once the new system is in place,” says Anita Dawe.
“As we move closer to Bee Cards being phased out in Otago, we will be asking customers to use up their remaining balances. This will make the transition across to Motu Move easier for everyone.”
More information: www.motumove.govt.nz
