Ferry passengers on the Hibiscus Coast are up in arms about the frequency of cancelled ferries, and being transported to the city in taxis and Uber instead.

The cancellations are usually early in the morning, or late in the afternoon - when passengers commute to and from work. 

The cancellations are sometimes at the last minute, with very little warning. 

Once, several passengers were left in the pouring rain to find their ferry was cancelled three minutes before it was due to arrive. 

Passengers are forced to leave home earlier to prepare for possible last-minute cancellations as bosses have threatened job losses if their late arrivals continue.

Last weekend, there were 50 ferry cancellations alone across Auckland - including Gulf Harbour.

Fullers 360, who operate the ferries, arrange replacement transport for the commuters: Uber, taxis or vans. 

Then Fullers gets Auckland Transport to foot the heavy bills - which, according to Gulf Harbour Ferry Facebook group members, should be paid for by Fullers themselves, not AT.

Upon investigation on my Uber app, Uber usually charges between $90 and $150 for a trip to or from the Auckland Downtown ferry terminal to Gulf Harbour.

Still, commuters only pay the regular public transport fee of $5.22 - the cost for the one-way 57-minute ferry trip. 

One ferry passenger says he was once alone in a taxi from Gulf Harbour to the city and the total bill was $140. 

About 5 000 residents on the Hibiscus Coast rely on the ferry to get to and from the Gulf Harbour ferry terminal to the city on a daily basis. 

“It is a ferry service, not an Uber or taxi service,” said a passenger who wants to remain anonymous. 

“Between January 2022 and January 2023, about 37 percent of all sailings schedules from Gulf Harbour into the city was replaced by either an Uber, taxi or shuttle.”

The reason for the cancellations at the times ranged from staff shortages, ageing fleet, mechanical issues or low passenger rates.

The member says that ‘Fair Go Fullers’, a Facebook group for Waiheke Island commuters, has complained to the commerce commission for breach of the fair trading act as there is no competition in the ferry routes with a monopoly by Fullers.

“Makes one ask who is working for who and what are the benefits. Ratepayers' money is being used to line the pockets of a business that is clearly incompetent,” said the member.

A media enquiry was sent to Fullers, but at the time of going to press, no comment was received from them.