Bus fares increased

Reminder to all bus users - bus fares in Tauranga have increased.


From today, the bus fare for an adult paying in cash has risen from $2.60 to $3, and from $2.08 to $2.40 for an adult using a Smartride card.

The move followed a decision made by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council's Public Transport Subcommittee on June 29, to help recover some of the costs of running the Tauranga and Rotorua's $10 million bus services.

Public Transport Subcommittee chairman Doug Owens said higher bus fares could be difficult for some passengers but the increase was necessary.

"If we don't retain a greater proportion of cash through fares we would need to look at the impact on the level of services we are providing,'' he said.

"We're trying to run more services for a record number of passengers, with increasing costs, but with about the same amount of funding.''

Mr Owens said fare increases would bring Bay of Plenty bus fares into line with comparable services in other regions.

Passenger fares fund 30 percent of the service, with ratepayers and the New Zealand Transport Agency each meet 35 per cent of the costs.

Fare information is available on the website http://www.baybus.co.nz/