| 33 The flagship Taieri Gorge train travels from Dunedin to Pukerangi, Otago, through dramatic landscapes and historic railway infrastructure. Photos: DunedinNZ REGIONAL Dunedin Railway Station Your travel is our business. You can rely on Ritchies. Providing a vital link With a national footprint of dedicated teams and depots, the Ritchies group delivers safe and reliable bus services throughout NewZealand. We can supply a variety of vehicles, ranging from 12 seaters to 58 seaters. Tours On Demand Charters Public Transport Wedding Transfers Mountain Transfers School Transport 7 Halsey St, Dunedin 9016 03 477 9238 dunedin@ritchies.co.nz When cruise passengers arrive at Port Chalmers for Taieri Gorge railway excursions, Ritchies Transport Dunedin provides a vital link in keeping everything running smoothly. Ritchies has developed a strong working relationshipwith Dunedin Railways, providing coach transfers that connect cruise passengers with the railway stationwhen required. Taieri Gorge trains are sometimes able to travel to Port Chalmers to collect passengers directly, but Ritchies provides transfers where required, includingwhen passengers need to travel between the port andDunedin Railway Station. Depot manager Dave (Gordie) Gordon says timing is critical. The logistics can become complex when a large cruise ship arrives: passengers need to reach the train on schedule, the train needs to depart on time, and those passengers need to be returned in time for their ship’s departure. “It really has towork like clockwork. We're the preferred operator for all of the big cruise ship companies that come into town becausewe've got a reputation of having good quality coaches and quality drivers.” Beyond the cruise sector, Ritchies provides charter transport for businesses, education providers, organisations and private groups. The University of Otago uses Ritchies for marine studies transport to Portobello, Carey’s Bay and further afield, while Silver Fern Farms is another key customer, with Ritchies providing transport for its operations in the south. For Gordie, those relationships reflect the standards expected of a professional transport provider. Customers with robust health and safety requirements want properly vetted drivers, appropriate insurance and comfortable, reliable vehicles. The same emphasis carries into tourism work, where the driver can be an important part of the experience rather than simply the person behind the wheel. “Our drivers really enjoy driving, they really enjoy showing everybody our country, they enjoy coming towork.” That enthusiasmsits alongside a strong safety culture, particularly when drivers are responsible for groups of students, tourists or cruise passengers travelling to a fixed timetable. Ritchies looks for peoplewho enjoy workingwith passengers and understand that a good trip involvesmore than getting fromone location to another. The company’s charter work covers a broad range of requirements, and Gordie sees word of mouth as particularly valuable in a competitive market. A successful trip can lead to another bookingwhen passengers recommend the service to friends, colleagues or other organisations. “We’re looking for that workwhere the clients want tomake sure their people have a really good time, and they want tomake sure that everything runs smoothly, andwe’re getting safety fromA to B.”
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