Although many Waihekians used Fuller services over the past 18 months, many of us also used Waiheke Explore services as they offered pricing models that made more sense, and other options that made our journeys more comfortable.

We are writing to you as a collective now to ask that you consider implementing some or all of these changes to make our commuting more comfortable, and to make us less likely to leave the service should another competitor come into Waiheke again.

There also is a general perception amongst Waihekians that you’re not ‘customer focused’ so we are hoping you see this as an opportunity to prove that sentiment wrong by making some changes.

We know that the Fullers staff do work incredibly hard to make journeys comfortable, and provide great service. These are just a collection of suggestions that many would like to see happen to make the Fullers service better for the Waiheke resident commuters and those who travel to the city regularly.

1. Pass Options:

• 42 pass options that expire in 60 days that allow for free weekend travel for the cardholder for $355. This was a huge competitive edge that Explore brought forward. For commuters that travel into the city a few days per week this made a lot of sense. Also, is there a reason we cannot clip two or more people onto a 40 pass? Can this please be changed?
• Also could students please be given an option to have more than 10 passes at a time?
• 42 or 10 pass cards that do not need to be replaced when they are out ( 40 passes with Fullers are wasted plastic cards- some have 10 from last year alone, a waste of a large amount of plastic) but that can be topped up (preferably online, see below).

2. Online System:

• A. An online system that allows us to see our trips, top up our cards and access our account online. Given the early closing hours of the ticket booths on Waiheke, this allows us more control over accounts, and making sure we have enough rides left.

3. Food and Comfort:

• More selections of healthy /fresh food options. Craft beer if possible?  are happy to pay more for better options. Soy Milk for coffees?
• Boats that offer a place to charge devices.
• A place for people with dogs to go, undercover, out of inclement weather (upstairs perhaps)?
• Cleaner toilets. 

4. Sailing Times:

•  Really would like a sailing between the 7:15 and 8:45 in the evening.. There are a few nurses who commute and we finish at 7:30pm making the wait for the next boat awful, an 8pm ferry would be much appreciated. This is the same for many commuters who catch flights back to auckland around 6:30 pm (travelling for work)-- they invariably miss the ferry and are made to wait 90 minutes. 
• Perhaps nightly ferries could run on the same hourly schedule that daytime ferries do (including an 11pm and midnight for concert goers). 
• Earlier sailing on weekends leaving the island for people playing sport.
• Many would also like an extra morning sailing at 8:30am to the city for work as the 8am is often completely packed.

5. Disability/Accessibility issues on Fullers Ferries:

• Better toilet access for disabled passengers. Some boats are nearly impossible to get to toilets (downstairs) with wheelchairs, canes, broken legs etc. Could JetRaider be configured so it is easier with mums who have buggies? Very difficult to get on, perhaps another area to store luggage?
• Priority boarding for monthly pass holders AND 40 pass holders - or perhaps priority boarding for those who hold a Captain’s Club card? 
•  If boat is running late could we please be boarded first and then clipped once we’re on and the boat has departed?

We very much appreciate Fullers group seriously considering fixing some or all of these issues for us.