At our last Committee meeting, we discussed some changes and clarifications to transport policies. Given that we have been hiring quite a few vehicles from Thrifty Rentals lately (because of the large numbers of trips we have run over winter), we want to make clear our policy around cancellation of trips when vehicles have been hired. When we are hiring a vehicle, we need at least 48 hours notice of a trip being cancelled. If we receive less notice than this, we have to pay for at least the first 24 hours of vehicle hire. Committee has agreed that punters on any trip that is cancelled after this deadline will be liable for any hire costs that are still incurred. Similarly, in terms of bookings on the Interislander, we need three days notice of trip cancellation in order to get a full refund. After that time, so long as a trip is cancelled before the ferry sails, we will be entitled to a 90% refund. Again, if any trip is cancelled after that deadline, punters will be liable for the non-refundable (10%) portion of the ferry booking fee. Finally, we have reinstated an old club policy – that for trips from Wellington to any location north of the Manawatu Gorge, or any trip with an anticipated drive time of more than three hours, there must be at least two drivers in the van. This means that there needs to be at least one other person, aside from the driver, who can drive the van if necessary. Given the risk of injury (and fatigue!) associated with our outdoor activities, it’s important that the the responsibility of driving long distances doesn’t rest solely on one person. We don’t want to be too prescriptive about requirements to regularly change drivers on longer trips, but recommend that drivers should swap regularly, rather than one person driving for the whole journey. More information, in particular about driver fatigue and driving to the conditions can be found on ACC’s website at http://www.acc.co.nz/preventing-injuries/on-the-road. Finally, thanks very much to Pete Gent and Gareth Morton, who have volunteered to clean the vans.
