Additional school buses will be introduced in Tauranga from Monday following complaints from parent about the bus service.

The complaints ranged from students having to catch multiple buses to get to school, buses running late and kids being stranded because the buses haven't turned up at all.

The Bay of Plenty Regional Council says from Monday four additional school buses will be provided for some Tauranga students.

'These buses will be operated by GoBus on routes 701, 801, 806 and 903 and allow for an extra 55 students per route.

'The new contract has come about because of the bus driver shortage being experienced by Tauranga Bayhopper contractor NZ Bus.”

Bay of Plenty Regional Council Chief Executive Fiona McTavish says Regional Council has been working over the last week to find a solution for what is a short-term fix.

'This is an emergency interim solution and we will continue to work with NZ Bus and other bus operators to improve services for the western bay community.”

'All travel on routes 701, 801, 806 and 903 will be free of charge for students for the two weeks of this emergency solution.”

This short-term solution finishes at the end of Friday March 1.

Route details

· 701 to Aquinas College - the extra bus will start from Bayfair Stand A at 7.30am, and will travel via Farm Street, Concorde Avenue, Oceanbeach Road, Girven Road, State Highway 29A and Maungatapu Road to Aquinas College. It will stop at all official bus stops along the route. The afternoon route will be the same as the current one, so students can use either bus.

· 801 to Tauranga Intermediate, Tauranga Primary and St Mary's Catholic School. Students can use either bus in the mornings, just look for 801 displayed on the front. In the afternoons, there will be one 801 bus that picks up students at Tauranga Primary and St Mary's, and a second 801 bus that will pick up from Tauranga Intermediate at 3.10pm.

· 806 to Tauranga Girls' and Boys' Colleges, St Mary's Catholic School and Tauranga Intermediate. Students can use either bus in the mornings, just look for 806 displayed on the front. In the afternoons there will be one 806 bus that will pick up at St Mary's Catholic School and Tauranga Boys' College, and a second 806 bus that will pick up at Tauranga Primary and Tauranga Girls' College.

· 903 to Tauranga Girls' and Boys' Colleges. Students can use either bus in the mornings, just look for 903 displayed on the front. In the afternoons there will be one 903 bus that will pick up at Tauranga Boys' College, and a second 903 bus that will pick up at Tauranga Girls' College.