Te Pahi Taranaki Public Transport Website
Te Pahi Taranaki Public Transport Website
To support the launch of Te Pahi Taranaki, the new and improved bus network for Taranaki, Somar Digital delivered a modern public transport website for the Taranaki Regional Council that is designed to make travel easier, clearer, and more reliable for the people who use it every day.
The new website gives customers a simpler way to plan journeys, check timetables, follow real-time bus information, and stay informed about service changes. It also gives the Council a stronger platform to communicate with passengers and support a smoother transition to the refreshed network.
A Modern, User-friendly Public Transport Website
The new Te Pahi website is a modern, user-friendly, and mobile-responsive website that improves how people access and engage with public transport information. Designed to align with the refreshed Te Pahi Taranaki brand, the website combines a distinctive design with proven public transport functionality developed through Somar Digital’s years of sector experience.
Journey Planning
The website makes journey planning straightforward by giving users easy access to clear route and timetable information. This helps passengers understand their travel options quickly and plan trips with more confidence.
Real-time Information
Real-time bus tracking allows users to see where their bus is and when it is expected to arrive. This gives passengers greater certainty, helps reduce waiting-time frustration, and makes the bus network feel more dependable.
Service Alerts
Important service alerts are displayed prominently across the website so passengers can see disruptions, delays, or changes before they travel. This helps people make informed decisions and supports a smoother travel experience.
Favourites and Filtering
Regular passengers can save favourite routes and destinations for faster access in the future. Filtering tools also help users narrow down information to what matters most to them, making repeat journeys quicker and easier to manage.
Customisable Timetables
The timetable experience can be tailored so users can focus only on their preferred stops and view the trip information most relevant to them. This creates a more useful and less cluttered experience, particularly for regular commuters.
Geolocation
When a user first lands on the website, they can choose to share their location so the map centres on where they are and highlights nearby stops. This makes it easier for passengers to orient themselves quickly and find relevant service information when they are on the move.
Outcomes
A tried-and-trusted solution
Taranaki Regional Council benefited from a solution built on proven public transport foundations already implemented in Wellington, New Zealand’s second largest public transport region, and the Bay of Plenty. This gave Council confidence that the website was shaped by real-world transport experience and tested at scale.
A responsive, mobile-first website
The website was designed first and foremost for people using it on the go. It is responsive, mobile-first, and informed by multiple rounds of user experience testing and feedback, resulting in a digital experience that feels modern, intuitive, and easy to use.
An interactive website
The new website provides a single source of truth for public transport information across the network. By bringing together journey planning, live information, alerts, and service details in one place, it helps users find what they need faster and with less effort.
A powerful content management system
Powered by Silverstripe, the website gives Taranaki Regional Council a robust and flexible content management system that makes it easier for staff to manage website content and public transport data. The CMS has been configured specifically to support the operational needs of a public transport service, helping staff keep information accurate and up to date.
A website aligned with New Zealand Government web standards
The website was built to meet New Zealand Government web standards, including the Web Accessibility Standard and Web Usability Standard. This supports a more inclusive experience for users and gives Council confidence that the platform meets the expectations of a high-quality public sector digital service.