Bus passenger numbers across ORC’s Dunedin and Queenstown Public Transport services continue to increase, but to a backdrop of falling revenue as NZ Transport Authority subsidies decline.

For the first three quarters of the current financial year – covering from July 2024 to March 2025 – Dunedin passenger numbers rose by 4% to 2,611,577 trips and in Queenstown rose by 3% to 1,489,729 trips, says ORC’s General Manager Regional and Planning Transport, Anita Dawe.

“We are really pleased that we continue to see a steady increase in patronage, especially as the removal of subsidies can create challenges for our public transport community. We’re also seeing more older and younger people using our buses, especially on the Dunedin network,” she says.

Fare revenue in Dunedin for the three quarters was down 8% to $3.11 million while in Queenstown revenue for the same period declined 6% to $2.42 million, Ms Dawe says.

Using Dunedin as an example, Ms Dawe says in the six months to December 2023, there were 1.67 million passengers and the NZTA subsidy for that period was $602,819.

However, for the six months to December 2024, there were 1.73 million Dunedin passengers, but the NZTA subsidy reduced by more than $443,000, to $159,069.

The subsidy reductions are across public transport services around the country.

Ms Dawe noted numerous NZTA subsidies ended in April 2024, including for free child (5-12), youth (13-18) and Youth Plus (19-25).

She predicted that for the full year overall Otago bus patronage numbers will exceed the previous year, while year-on-year percentage growth will be lower because 2023-24 had a “very high rate of growth” to better, she says.

The Public Transport patronage and revenue data is being presented to ORC’s Public and Active Transport Committee next Thursday (5 June) for noting. The full Agenda and report is now online, under Meetings on www.orc.govt.nz.

The Queenstown ferry operation saw a 6% decline in patronage to 55,829 passengers for the three- quarter period,while revenue was down 3% to $618, 984.

Mrs Dawe notes the impact on the ferry revenue after its return to full fares was more keenly felt in dollar terms than on the bus services.

On Total Mobility patronage, there was a 17% increase in patronage for the three-quarter period, rising to a total 105,996 trips. The trip costs are shared between the passenger, ratepayer and taxpayer.

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