Wise Group supports Hamilton to Auckland commuter train

May 2009

The Wise Group has lent its support to the proposed commuter train running between Hamilton and Auckland, with chief executive Jacqui Graham saying the organisation would happily purchase an annual corporate ticket to support the service.

She recently made a submission to Environment Waikato, saying the train service would mean increased productivity and a further step toward a smaller environmental footprint for the Group, which employs 850 staff.

Wise Group is the only national organisation of its size to have its headquarters in Hamilton. Being based in a smaller city can cause travel issues so this train service would be hugely beneficial to the Group.

“Efficiency now is not just defined as speed, it’s about productive hours. In terms of productivity, the car is the most inefficient form of transport we have,” says Jacqui Graham. “With laptops, staff can work almost anywhere, on most forms of transport, and even offline on a plane.”

Wise Group has two Auckland offices which require daily staff travel between Hamilton and Auckland. “A train service between Hamilton and Auckland would mean huge productivity gains for Wise Group, and we’d be prepared to purchase an annual corporate ticket,” says Jacqui Graham.

The proposed train service would also mean another step toward sustainability. Based in Kakariki House, Waikato’s first green star certified building, Wise Group is committed to a total sustainability approach.

The proposed rail service continues to be investigated by the Environment Waikato Transport Committee. For more information about the proposed service please see www.environmentwaikato.govt.nz.