Frequently Asked Questions
Ngā Pātai e Kaha Whiua Ana

MyWay is managed by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council with the support of Hastings District Council and Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency.

GoBus manages the vehicle service operation, as well as the remaining goBay services and school services.

Global mobility and technology expert Via provides the next generation on-demand technology. Via powers on-demand public transport in more than 20 countries across five continents, bringing extensive experience to the Hastings trial.

Every MyWay driver has undertake rigorous licence, police and health checks. Drivers will participate in an induction process that includes customer service, vehicle safety, and driver training. All drivers must have and maintain a clean driving record and our drivers' performance from both a safety and customer service perspective is reviewed regularly.

You can rate your ride on the MyWay app once you’ve reached your destination.

Don't forget to rate your ride on the App once you have completed your ride. You can leave us a comment there too.

MyWay is a new way to get around Hastings that combines the benefits of public transport with the convenience and flexibility of travelling by car, taxi or Uber.

MyWay’s fleet of minivans respond to demand, matching people travelling in the same direction and working out the best route to pick users up and drop them off close to their destinations.

The MyWay service replaces routes 16A, 16B, and 17 in Hastings from 7 June 2022. The flexibility of the service means you'll be able to get to all the places covered by those routes and more, when it suits you.

You can book a ride through the MyWay Hawke’s Bay app, by calling 0800 108 838, or through any of the booking services around Hastings.  MyWay will use technology to match you with others travelling in the same direction and find a nearby pick-up point, such as a corner, or an existing bus stop, within a short walking distance from where you are. MyWay workls out a flexible route that gets everyone to where they need to be, making for quick and efficient shared trips without inconvenient fixed routes and schedules.

MyWay is in operation in Hastings as of 7 June 2022

The service operates Monday to Friday, 6.00am to 6.00pm.

You can request a low floor vehicle when booking your ride through the MyWay app, by tapping the menu icon and selecting ‘Concessions’. Swipe the ‘Wheelchair accessibility’ toggle to the right. This means you will be assigned a vehicle with a low floor and ramp, and with a seatbelt in the priority seating area.

Alternatively, call our team on 0800 108 838 or drop in to a MyWay booking service and let them know you’d like a low floor vehicle.

Yes! MyWay offers a low floor vehicle that is wheelchair accessible. A priority seating area is available at the front of the van and will fit one standard size wheelchair or mobility device.

Your MyWay driver will assist with unfolding the ramp, but they are not required to physically assist passengers to get on or off the vehicle. If you’re unable to get onto a vehicle without help, please see our enhanced assistance service.

Please listen to the driver's instructions for help to board the vehicle. 

• Board the ramp; mind the small lip on the floor where the ramps folds in
• Sit with your back to the driver, against the back rest provided
• Apply your brakes
• Fasten the seatbelt around your waist.
• If you are travelling with a support person, make sure you also book them a seat.

No. Unfortunately MyWay vehicles are not be equipped to take a mobility scooter.

Yes, our standard vehicles have space for a folded pram in the back, or on the bike rack if you are travelling on the wheelchair accessible van (WAV).

If you’d like to take your pram onboard unfolded, just request a low floor, accessible vehicle. This will ensure you have a priority seating area near the front of the vehicle with space for your pushchair.

Rides for low floor vehicles may not always be as readily available as for the smaller vans.

Our wheelchair accessible van (WAV) has a bike rack available.

If you wish to travel with your bike, you need to select the option of WAV when making your booking through the app or call centre. Please note that there may be additional wait time as this is a highly sought-after vehicle for our users with accessibility needs.

Absolutely. MyWay welcomes passengers accompanied by service dogs or disability assistance dogs.  

MyWay will offer a driveway-to-driveway collection for passengers needing enhanced accessibility services. A vehicle will meet you within a very short distance of your pick-up address, and you will be dropped off very close to your selected destination.

If you require the vehicle to also be wheelchair accessible, please select both concessions.

Please be aware that the ramp on a MyWay vehicle can only be deployed where there is a raised footpath and not directly on to the road. As public transport, our vehicles only operate on the roads and do not come up your driveway.

To book a ride with our enhanced assistance service, select the in-app concession or call 0800 108 838.

You will need to present your Total Mobility Scheme ID, or your Mobility Parking permit to the driver.

You need to make sure you are at your pickup point two minutes before your ride. Your driver needs to keep to time for other passengers, so will only wait for one minute. 

Please make sure that you cancel your ride if you no longer need it.

If you miss your ride repeatedly, you may still be charged the $2.00 fare.

If you use the MyWay app, you can book your return journey whenever you're ready to go.

If you don't have a cellphone, you’ll be able to drop in to any of the booking services throughout Hastings and they’ll phone your booking through to our customer service centre. You can find a list of booking services here.

We know that not everyone has a cellphone, and that sometimes batteries run flat. To make sure you’re not caught out without a ride home, we have booking services throughout the community. Just look for the MyWay Booking Service sticker in the window of a community centre, library, i-Site, pharmacy, supermarket or retail store nearby. You can head in and ask to have a MyWay ride booked on your behalf. They’ll call MyWay with your name, location and destination, and work with you to find the pick-up time that suits you best. Using a booking service is a great option if you don’t have a cellphone and are heading out, but aren’t sure when you’ll need to head home.

Check out our list of current booking services here. We’re working to add more all the time.

MyWay bookings are made either by calling our contact centre, through the smart phone app, or on the website. If you don't have access to any of these, you will need to ask someone to book for you, or use one of our Booking on Behalf locations.

In off-peak times, book just before you're ready to go. 

At peak times (7:30am – 9:00am, 3:00pm – 6:00pm, and around midday), check your app or give us a call well before you need to go. The app will tell you if the wait times are short so you can book later, or if the service is busy, you can book right away. 

Bee Card is a prepay card used across Hawke’s Bay public transport services. You can order a Bee Card online at beecard.co.nz or pick one up at the Hastings Library. Bee Cards cost $5.00 and there is a minimum top up of $10.00. Register your card at beecard.co.nz to keep your funds safe if you lose your card. You can top up online at beecard.co.nz, at the Hastings Library, or on any goBay bus.

The cost per ride is $2.00 to go anywhere in the Hastings urban area. Children under five travel free at all times. SuperGold Card holders travel free during on weekdays between 9:00am and 3:00pm and public holidays.

If you’re booking for more than one person travelling together, every additional rider will only cost $1.

You can pay for your MyWay ride by Bee Card, or by linking your credit or debit card to the MyWay Hawke’s Bay app. Cash will not be accepted onboard.

To add your credit or debit card details to the app, tap the menu at the top left of your screen and select ‘Payment Methods’ to enter your details. Save your details and select ‘Credit Card’ as your payment method. When you book your ride, the cost will be automatically deducted from your credit card. You don't need to do anything when you board, and the driver will be notified of your payment.

To pay by Bee Card, simply swipe your Bee Card when you board your MyWay vehicle. If you’re booking your ride through the app and wanting to pay via Bee Card, tap the menu icon, select ‘Payment Methods’ from the drop-down menu, and set ‘Transit Pass’ as your payment method.

You can't pay for multiple fares using a Bee Card – each passenger must have their own card.

Find out more on our Booking a ride page..

SuperGold Card holders will travel free on weekdays between 9:00am and 3:00pm and on public holidays. If you’re booking through the app, tap the menu icon in the top left corner, select ‘Concessions’ and then ‘SuperGold’. Just show the driver your card when boarding.

If you’re booking over the phone or through a booking service, simply present your SuperGold Card to the driver when your vehicle arrives.

DHB staff travel free on MyWay. If you’re booking through the app, tap the menu icon in the top left corner, select ‘Concessions’ and then ‘DHB Staff’. Just show the driver your staff ID card when boarding.

If you’re booking over the phone or through a booking service, let MyWay know you’re a DHB staff member when you book and present your staff ID to the driver when your vehicle arrives.

If you’re travelling to or from a healthcare appointment at Hastings Hospital, you can travel free on MyWay. Just present your DHB appointment card to the driver when your MyWay ride arrives. 

Your credit/debit card will be charged after you have completed the trip, so the only charge for a cancelled trip would be a cancellation fee, if applicable.

If you require a refund please call us on 0800 108 838.

The quickest way to book your trip will be through the MyWay Hawke's Bay app, available for free download from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

The first time you use the app you'll be asked to create a user profile, which the system will remember for your future bookings.

You can find a guide to using the app here.

You can also book by calling our friendly team on 0800 108 838, or through any of the booking services around Hastings.

You can book MyWay to get to one destination. To book people to different destinations, you need to make separate bookings, and you cannot do this on the same MyWay app at the same time.

Use an app on a different account, or phone our team on 0800 108 838 for the second booking.

If booking for a group through the app, you’ll be able to opt to pay for the group via the credit card linked to your app. You can select the type of passenger (adult, SuperGold, Child under 5, DHB Staff or DHB Patient) to ensure you are charged the right fares. 

If booking over the phone or through a booking service, each passenger in a group will need to pay with their own individual Bee Card.

You’ll be able to go anywhere in the Hastings urban area, including Camberley, Raureka, Akina, Parkvale, St Leonards, Mayfair, Mahora, Frimley, and the CBD. If you need to go further afield, MyWay will link into other bus services in wider Hastings and between Napier and Hastings. Check out a map of the service area here.

Just like any public transport service, you will usually need to walk a little to meet your ride. This won’t be more than 200 metres.

Pick-up and drop-off points are typically on street corners or existing bus stops and will change from time-to-time depending on where the MyWay vehicle is coming from.

MyWay will usually offer a ride somewhere between 3 and 30 minutes from when you book. At peak times, your vehicle may take up to 30 minutes to arrive, so check your app or call the customer service centre well before you need to travel to see how busy we are.

So that we can stay on time for everybody, we will only pick up passengers who have booked. Booking only takes a minute, so download the MyWay app from the App Store or Google Play to do it on the go.

During busy times, if the MyWay service is at maximum capacity, the app and customer service centre may not be able to fulfil requests. This is usually short-lived; please try again in a few minutes.

MyWay's next generation technology builds in additional passengers to suit the arrival time you have been given. Any additional passengers may add a minute or so to your journey but nothing more substantial. Unlike taxi rides, you don't pay more for your journey even if the traffic means it takes a little longer.

The maximum journey time will be the length of the direct trip, and up to half that time again.

Our drivers will need to keep to time for everybody on board. Just like a bus, you need to be at the pick-up point at the arranged time. We recommend that you arrive a minimum of two minutes ahead of your pick-up time.

If you're using the app, you'll be notified when your MyWay ride is approaching. 

Just like on other forms of public transport, the number of passengers you will share your journey with will vary, depending on the number of other passengers going in the same direction as you. Sometimes this may be as few as 2 or 3, other times the vehicle may be full.

MyWay has up to three vehicles on the road. These will be Ford Transit vans and Mercedes Sprinter vehicles, with capacity for between 11 and 15 passengers.

The MyWay vehicles will be capable of meeting just about every transport need, including disability access and storage for prams. Bikes can be stored on the bike rack which is only available in the wheelchair accessible van (WAV).

Our vehicles have space for buggies, walking frames, and shopping. If you need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, let us know by selecting this option when you book.

We’d love to have you onboard! Drop us an email at myway@hbrc.govt.nz and let us know you’re interested in adding this awesome community service to your organisation. We’ll provide all the information you need, answer any questions, and get you on your way to becoming a booking service.

You’ll still need to catch the bus from Napier to Hastings. The morning commute is a busy time for MyWay, so we recommend you book your ride from Hastings to your school well in advance - check the app in the morning to see how busy we are and book before you leave or while you’re on the bus to Hastings. Set your location to where you’ll be getting off the bus in Hastings, and your MyWay ride will pick you up from there. Your MyWay driver can only wait one minute at your stop, so make sure you build in an extra five minutes to allow for any traffic on your first trip. 

As a public transport service, children under the age of 16 can travel unaccompanied at their parent's discretion. We recommend that if children use the service unaccompanied, they only do so if they are confident crossing the road and/or getting to their destination.

Children using the service unaccompanied must have a MyWay account as we need to be able to communicate any service changes, for instance if their pick up time or location changes.

Yes, students can use MyWay to get to school.

You’ll still need to catch the bus from Napier to Hastings. The morning commute is a busy time for MyWay, so we recommend you book your ride from Hastings to your school well in advance - check the app in the morning to see how busy we are and book before you leave or while you’re on the bus to Hastings. Set your location to where you’ll be getting off the bus in Hastings, and your MyWay ride will pick you up from there. Your MyWay driver can only wait one minute at your stop, so make sure you build in an extra five minutes to allow for any traffic on your first trip. 

Babies and young children are not required by law to be strapped into a car seat on public transport, including in vans, but Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency recommends it. All other passengers must wear seatbelts if seatbelts are fitted to the vehicle. 

MyWay low floor vehicles have priority seating areas near the front of the vehicle for passengers with mobility aids, service animals and for parents with prams.

MyWay services allow transfers to/from urban buses, but no transfers are allowed from MyWay to another MyWay service. The transfers must be made within 30 minutes of a Tag Off (from either a bus or MyWay service) and a Tag On to ensure the free transfer.

If you’re using the MyWay app, you’ll be prompted to rate your ride once you’ve reached your destination. You can rate your experience on a number of factors, or leave us a comment or suggestion.

We are continually testing and trialling things as we go to make sure MyWay works as smoothly as possible, and we’d love to hear your thoughts, suggestions and feedback on how we can improve. Call our local customer service team on 0800 108 838, email myway@hbrc.govt.nz or get in touch here.