The Bay of Plenty Regional Council recently announced that it would trial the provision of free school buses in Tauranga’s urban area. This is great news for members of the school community living in town, but also for every commuter that is forced to deal with Tauranga’s congested roads each day.
The effect of this decision on our rural school buses is minimal. Most families living beyond the limits of the Council’s urban buses are entitled to a free ride on a TTNG bus. The only families required to pay a fare are those travelling to a school that is not their nearest. This will not change as a result of the Council’s decision.
The TTNG will continue to keep a close eye on any modifications to the urban bus network and identify if our services need changing. The TTNG strives to ensure that there are no gaps between urban and rural bus services – we want to provide the opportunity for every eligible student to be collected by a bus as close to their home as possible.