Transportation in New Zealand
New Zealand has historically been a country that was dominated by many railroads, but this has changed drastically compared to present day. New Zealand’s transportation is very largely dominated by personal automobiles. Public transportation such as busses can be found throughout all cities and in most towns. However, they are not relied on by many, especially for daily commutes to and from work. This is because New Zealand is a land with sparse population in comparison with its wide terrain, making it extremely inefficient and unsuited to public transportation systems. The main places where public transportation flourishes in New Zealand are the main cities, especially Auckland and Wellington which are the only cities to have commuter trains. Commuting by bicycle in New Zealand is not a very good or favoured option either. The very hilly terrain coupled with a blazing sun and harsh winds make for a difficult commute.
New Zealand is separated into two major island, North and South. Driving between islands can take upwards of 7-10 hours coupled with a 3 hour long ferry ride. The prospect of such a long commute makes flying between the islands of New Zealand a very popular choice. Flying cuts the time of travel between islands to just an hour or under. New Zealand is littered with many roadways and highways making it easy to get where you want to go with a car. Many believe that one of the reasons, in addition to its efficiency, that New Zealanders prefer a personal car over public transportation is to solidify their independence as individuals. Driving is done with left-hand traffic rather than right in New Zealand. Before automobiles became popular, trams were widespread across New Zealand. Their use has since stopped almost completely with only rare uses.
Sources
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/network/index.html
http://www.tourleader.co.nz/index.php/arrival-in-new-zealand/getting-around-new-zealand
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/railway-stations
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/licence/residents-visitors/driving-nz.html?utm_source=newzealandnow.govt.nz
http://www.newzealand.com/us/feature/driving-in-new-zealand/
New Zealand has historically been a country that was dominated by many railroads, but this has changed drastically compared to present day. New Zealand’s transportation is very largely dominated by personal automobiles. Public transportation such as busses can be found throughout all cities and in most towns. However, they are not relied on by many, especially for daily commutes to and from work. This is because New Zealand is a land with sparse population in comparison with its wide terrain, making it extremely inefficient and unsuited to public transportation systems. The main places where public transportation flourishes in New Zealand are the main cities, especially Auckland and Wellington which are the only cities to have commuter trains. Commuting by bicycle in New Zealand is not a very good or favoured option either. The very hilly terrain coupled with a blazing sun and harsh winds make for a difficult commute.
New Zealand is separated into two major island, North and South. Driving between islands can take upwards of 7-10 hours coupled with a 3 hour long ferry ride. The prospect of such a long commute makes flying between the islands of New Zealand a very popular choice. Flying cuts the time of travel between islands to just an hour or under. New Zealand is littered with many roadways and highways making it easy to get where you want to go with a car. Many believe that one of the reasons, in addition to its efficiency, that New Zealanders prefer a personal car over public transportation is to solidify their independence as individuals. Driving is done with left-hand traffic rather than right in New Zealand. Before automobiles became popular, trams were widespread across New Zealand. Their use has since stopped almost completely with only rare uses.
Sources
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/network/index.html
http://www.tourleader.co.nz/index.php/arrival-in-new-zealand/getting-around-new-zealand
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/railway-stations
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/licence/residents-visitors/driving-nz.html?utm_source=newzealandnow.govt.nz
http://www.newzealand.com/us/feature/driving-in-new-zealand/