Coronavirus Covid 19: Tauranga's free schoolbus trial's popularity creates concern amid level 2

Fare-free school buses have proven popular, but now that has become a problem. Photo / File

Bay of Plenty Regional Council is asking parents of children using school buses to consider alternative transport where possible despite success in its fare-free trial.

The council's Public Transport Committee will meet today to discuss the popularity and future of the trial, amid Covid-19 level 2 restrictions.

In July, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council agreed to fund a year's trial of a citywide free school bus fare scheme for students travelling to and from school.

The decision, adopted into the regional council's 2019-20 annual plan, followed six months of a free school bus trial already in place for Welcome Bay students. It also followed years of lobbying by parents.

In a report to be presented to the council today , corporate general manager Mat Taylor said the free-fare trial with school buses had resulted in a "very strong start to the year".

Student travel increased by about 75 per cent in February and 100 per cent in the first two weeks of March, compared to the same time periods in 2019, he said. However, the incredible success of students using school buses had now resulted in concerns at the regional council's ability to cater for the numbers while under Covid-19 alert level 2 restrictions.

"Our biggest concern is managing the high number of students who usually travel by bus, particularly when taking into account the significant increase in patronage we saw this year as a result of the Tauranga schools fare-free trial which commenced in February 2020.

"Due to alert level 2 measures, we are unlikely to be able to carry all students that previously travelled by bus."

Taylor said although there was a small number of additional vehicles and drivers available to help, the regional council was unlikely to be able to add sufficient capacity.

"As a result, we have asked schools to advise parents of this and ... we have recommended that they consider finding alternative ways to get their children to and from school in the event there is an issue with capacity on their child's bus on any particular day."

Taylor said preferences from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency was to encourage active modes of travel rather than private vehicles due to potential adverse impacts on the transit network as schools and businesses reopen.

The pandemic meant school services did not operate between March 26 and May 4 and there were limited services for children of essential workers between April 29 and May 17, under alert level 3.

All school bus services began operating again from May 18 and now students using buses no longer need to adhere to social distancing rules.

"It has now been confirmed that we may operate our school services with no physical distancing requirements ... This means our Tauranga school bus services can carry a full seated load but standing passengers will not be permitted."

All buses will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitised daily. This is in addition to the "fogging" treatment that has already occurred on all council buses. Hand sanitiser will also be available for students to use when they enter and exit the bus.