Gold Card holders can load their details onto a Bee Card for free travel on Waikato buses and trains. Photo: Michael Jeans
A school holiday initiative by Waikato Regional Council that tripled bus patronage has been such a success it’s set to return.
Sandra Sesto-Dekic
Council transport staff are looking to collaborate with Waikato-King Country communities on other innovative ways to boost bus usage.
The school holiday promotion was supported by Good Local Media’s publications in Cambridge, Te Awamutu, and King Country.
Sandra Sesto-Dekic, the council’s Customer Focus team leader, said she was pleased with the progress of the public transport portfolio.
Electric buses are now well established, and timetables have been “souped up.”
On the (regional) buses. Photo: Michael Jeans
But regional connector services – Te Kūiti (bus 26), Taumarunui (25), South Waikato (30) and the smaller buses for Tauwhare (27) and Tamahere/Mātangi (28) – need more passengers to be viable.
Sesto-Dekic said community engagement was key, especially in South Waikato and King Country, where many passengers are students commuting to Wintec or Waikato University. With holidays approaching, new strategies are needed to fill seats.
Meanwhile, the rollout of a new national card to replace the Bee Card has been delayed due to teething issues. It was expected to be live by now but is two years away.
Gold Card holders can load their details onto a Bee Card for free travel on Waikato buses and trains. Photo: Michael Jeans
