Bus fares on Bayhopper's Katikati, Omokoroa, Mangatawa/Matapihi, and Te Puke routes will rise by around five per cent on Monday.
The rise, which excludes schoolhopper fares, follows on from the increase of the Tauranga urban network fares in August.
Bus fares will rise from Monday, September 7. Photo: File.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council transport policy manager Garry Maloney says all Bayhopper fares have been adjusted by about five percent, to increase the amount passengers pay to use the service.
'Council had delayed increasing the fare for as long as it could, after originally planning it for late last year,” explains Garry.
Depending on the trip, passengers' fares could be either slightly more or less than the five percent amount – where the five percent increase would not have worked for a passenger paying cash.
The increase will also be applied to passengers using Smartride cards.
In addition to the increase, there will be a change to the current Katikati, Omokoroa, and Tauranga Shopper route, as it begins a trial to extend to Waihi Beach from October 1.
'The service will continue to run on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and will travel to and from Waihi Beach until June 2016,” adds Garry.
'However, the changes mean the service will no longer travel to The Lakes or Tauranga Hospital, so passengers will need to transfer once in Tauranga.”
Information on the best routes to reach these destinations is available by contacting: 0800 422 928 or visiting the Baybus website at: www.baybus.co.nz
Key information:
Fare increases (Western Bay of Plenty) from Monday, September 7:
78 Mangatawa – Tauranga
79 Matapihi – Tauranga
80 Katikati – Tauranga Commuter
81 Omokoroa – Tauranga Commuter
82 Katikati – Omokoroa – Tauranga Shopper
221 Te Puke – Tauranga Commuter
222 Te Puke – Tauranga Shopper
Tauranga Urban and Rotorua Cityride fares were increased on Monday, August 3. Schoolhopper fares are not increasing.
Service change from Thursday, October 1:
82 Waihi Beach – Katikati – Omokoroa – Tauranga Shopper
This service will extend to Waihi Beach as part of a trial until June 2016.
The service will continue to run on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
The service will no longer travel to The Lakes or Tauranga Hospital – passengers will need to transfer to another service: 1, 2, 59 for Tauranga Hospital and Greerton, then 52 for the Lakes
5 comments
tga council
Posted on 02-09-2015 19:09 | By luka dog
no suprises here tga council uping the prices for tga residents so we lose our benefits once again ! make not affordable so there wont be buses left in a few years because know one will wana pay the expeno prices
luka dog, barking up the wrong tree
Posted on 02-09-2015 20:43 | By Murray.Guy
luka dog, you barking up the wring tree. It is NOT Tauranga City Council that controls or influences bus fares. Tauranga City ratepayers subsidize the fares, provide a bus shelter - end of. Read the article and note it is the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
Luka dog
Posted on 03-09-2015 08:38 | By Kenworthlogger
There is no such thing as a free lunch... In this case no free ride.
Bus Fares
Posted on 03-09-2015 10:00 | By Corwen
Increase the fare - less people use buses Decrease the fares - more people use buses Easy really
@luka dog
Posted on 03-09-2015 10:33 | By Annalist
Not sure if your comment is typical of thew world owes me a living mentality that seems to have taken hold of many NZers. The reality is that the bus fares are already heavily subsidised. About time there was a bit more user pays. People just need to learn that sometimes we have to get off our often overweight bottoms and take responsibility for our own lives and expenses.
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