Otago Regional Council welcomes the extra funding for Public Transport announced this afternoon by Finance Minister, Grant Robertson.

It was announced in today’s Budget that half price fares will be continued until the end of August 2022.

Doug Rodgers, Transport Manager, said, “This is an exciting time for us. The extension of the half price fare initiative helps us meet our carbon reduction goals as well as offering people more options with transport.

“As bus services return to full capacity, we expect half price fares and the discount for Community Service Card holders to be embraced by the community and reflected in strong passenger numbers.

Pending council decisions, the extension to half price fares and discount for Community Service Card holders will apply to services across the region including buses in Dunedin and Queenstown.

FAQs

What does the increase in Budget for public transport mean for Otago?

• The extra funding will mean the half price fares can be extended until August and Community Services card holders will be eligible for permanent half price fares from September this year.

Will Otago Regional Council continue with the half-price fares as indicated in the Budget? Tell me the process?

• With available funding, ORC will continue the half-price fares to help with the rising inflation costs. It’s a wonderful initiative, and we are pleased to have been able to offer it.

• It is worth noting that ORC remains in a trial period for the $2 flat fare.

Will Total Mobility half price fares continue?

Yes, Total Mobility (TM) is part of the public transport system so the half price discount will continue to be applied on top of the existing TM discount.

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