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Media Release

30 January 2012

Popularity of public transport continues to rise in Hawke’s Bay

The popularity of public transport in Hawke’s Bay is continuing to increase according to a report to last Wednesday’s Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Corporate and Strategic Committee meeting.

Last year the goBay bus services carried 616,198 passengers, which is an average of 51,350 per month, up more than 20 percent on 2010.

HBRC Transport Manager Carol Gilbertson says there are a number of factors that have seen bus patronage steadily climb in the last two years.

“We are regularly monitoring the goBay bus services and making minor adjustments to routes and frequency of buses where appropriate, to ensure taking the bus is as simple and convenient as possible. We also doubled the frequency of the Napier-Hastings service, which now runs every 15 minutes in peak times and every 30 minutes in off-peak times,” says Carol.

She says the six month trial of the new Hopper bus service between Napier, Ahuriri and Westshore is proving extremely popular with locals and visitors. More than three thousand trips have been made on the Hopper in the first three months of the trial.

HBRC Staff are analysing the passenger statistics and feedback and other relevant information to bring before Council prior to the end of the six month trial in March.

“This will enable Council to make a decision on whether to retain the Hopper bus as a permanent service.”

Carol Gilbertson says they are also investigating a “text-a-bus” service which would enable passengers to text through the number of a bus stop and receive a short text message back advising them of the scheduled time of the next bus.
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