Scotties New Zealand

Toll road a nightmare,

noreply@blogger.com (Scotties) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 08:43:00 +0000

Toll road a nightmare, says car rental firm

09.03.2009
by Peter de Graaf

The electronic toll system for the new northern motorway extension is an "administrative nightmare", according to a Kaikohe-based car rental company.

The 7.5km Northern Gateway toll road from Puhoi to Orewa shaves about 15 minutes off the old route between Northland and Auckland. It opened on January 25 and includes soaring viaducts, a tunnel, and a high-tech system for recording licence plates and charging $2 per car or $4 per truck. Drivers can pay over the phone, via the internet, or at machines at either end.

However, the owner of Nationwide Car Rentals - which has offices around the country but is headquartered in Kaikohe - said the tolling system was "ill-conceived and ill-thought-out".

Peter Petersen said 90 per cent of his clients were overseas visitors whose credit cards did not work in the payment machines. Nor could they call the 0800 number from their international cellphones, leaving them to find a computer in their hotel or an internet cafe.

"All that costs them time and money when they're supposed to be on holiday, spending money in Northland," Mr Petersen said.

The company asked its customers when they arrived in Auckland whether they were planning to use the toll road and charged them there and then.

However, there was no way of checking who had used the road until a $2 deduction showed up the company's toll road account.

"The whole thing's an administrative nightmare," he said.

Mr Petersen said he was considering advising his customers to use the old road through Orewa and Waiwera.

One company already doing just that is Auckland-based Scotties Rent-a-Car. Director Keith Scott said in one week alone half-a-dozen customers had trouble paying. Most were Americans or Europeans, and the payment machines would not take their overseas credit cards.

The company was now charging customers a $500 infringement fee if they used the toll road without paying.

Mr Scott defended the charge, saying it was not a fine but an "infringement processing fee" to cover legal costs if the company ended up in court over unpaid tolls.

Mr Scott said he was not telling customers not to use the motorway, but he was urging them to use the old route.

Mr Scott said "heaps" of his customers went to Northland, in particular to Tutukaka and the Poor Knights, the Bay of Islands and the Hokianga.

However, the New Zealand Transport Agency - which is in charge of the country's highways - said the world-wide trend for tolling motorways was to use fully electronic, free-flow toll collection systems, not cash booths.

Cash-based toll collection was becoming increasingly expensive to operate, Auckland/Northland director Wayne McDonald said.

Rental car companies in Australia and Europe had put measures in place so their customers could use electronic toll roads, and he expected companies in New Zealand to do the same.

Toll Road a Disaster for Tourists

noreply@blogger.com (Scotties) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 08:27:00 +0000

24/02/2009 7:08:01

The Land Transport Agency is frustrated that some drivers are having problems with the Northern Gateway toll road, north of Auckland.

Rental company Scotties is discouraging customers from using the new highway because many have had trouble using overseas credit cards to pay the toll or have found the kiosks out of order.

Scotties says the LTSA is cheating tourists who can make the trip quicker on the free road..

But Andy Knackstedt of Land Transport says rental car companies in other countries have come to terms with electronic toll roads.

"The trend worldwide for toll roads is towards fully electronic roads and away from cash-based roads. Now, rental car companies in other parts of the world, in Australia, Europe and North America all have mechanisms in place that allow their customers to use toll roads."

Mr Knackstedt says LTA expects New Zealand car rental companies to do the same thing.

New Zealand Car Rental - Corporate disaster video

noreply@blogger.com (Scotties) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 09:54:00 +0000

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Scotties decided we needed a corporate video, we hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it.

FREE NEW ZEALAND GPS

noreply@blogger.com (Scotties) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 08:47:00 +0000

Scotties Rental Cars New Zealand is celebrating its 21st birthday and any bookings made on the website the week qualify for a free GPS rental.

This is a huge saving and a fantastic thank you from Scotties.

Driving around New Zealand can be a challenge, and this is one way we can make your trip more fun - so what are you waiting for, book today at Scotties.co.nz

Skiers paradise in New Zealand

noreply@blogger.com (Scotties) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:05:00 +0000

Scotties have a great Ski-riffic package on now.

Just $99 for a weekender car rental deal. Pick up Friday pm and drop back Monday morning.
You get 500km free and this is a great chance to get up to the snow.

Click here for latest availability

http://scotties.co.nz/ski-newzealand.htm

The latest weather and snow reports

Winter Rates

noreply@blogger.com (Scotties) — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 02:49:00 +0000

Low winter rates are now available at Scotties

Welcome

noreply@blogger.com (Scotties) — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 02:32:00 +0000

Annie and Keith welcome you to Scotties new blog. We own a car rental company in Auckland and Christchurch, New Zealand.

We have been operating for 22 years now and specialise in giving overseas travellers a real taste of kiwi life.