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Fullers Group Limited
Fullers Group Limited, Auckland. A group of companies emerged from the progressive amalgamation of a number of maritime transport and marine engineering companies based on the Waitemata Harbour and Hauraki Gulf. Its present configuration of 9 vessels now transport over 3.9 million passengers a total of 46.6 million passenger kilometres each year on scheduled services.
Buying Leo Dromgoole's fleet of boats was the start for Fullers. It was developed under the guidance of former owner George Hudson, whose son Doug Hudson is still at the helm administratively. But the company was bought out in the mid-2000s by Socttish-based Stagecoach, whose New Zealand interests have since been bought by infrastructure company Infratil.
Vessels
The company's timetable and fare structure for its Waiheke run can be found here.
The Matiatia to Auckland ferry service is the biggest volume commuter and tourist service in New Zealand and operates on a private monopoly basis without local or Government subsidies. A current monthly ferry pass, which includes transport on Waiheke Bus Co and Stagecoach Auckland, costs $300 and a standard return $28.50. Those prices are only destined to increase since it is virtually impossible for a competitor service to start up or keep going. Auckland does not have integrated ticketing on its public transport so any other service cannot offer a competitive service. The Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA), the public transport regulator and subsidy source, has never been inclined to enforce competition or has never intervened to prevent a private monopoly: earlier this century it even allowed Fullers to buy out its competitor Pacific Ferries. The brief period this alternative service ran was the only time in Fullers' history that fares went down in actual terms, reflecting market forces at work. After the buy-out monopoly pricing returned.
Ferry Refusal Strands Dozens
In February 2007 dozens of Aucklanders spent the night stranded on the wharf at Matiatia after a Fuller's ferry refused to go back to Waiheke Island to pick them up. About 50 people who had been at Stonyridge Vineyard arrived at the wharf in time for the last boat home, but were told it was full and another would come and pick them up in half an hour. They spent all night on the wharf waiting for it.
During the night the ferry terminal was broken into and tagged, as well as some desperate drunk people lighting bon fires, stealing dirty linen from resturants to use as blankets, and the odd boat to attempt to paddle home to Auckland where there is ample public transport to get people home.