Covid 10 Omicron outbreak: Short notice bus cancellations likely as Omicron spreads

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Short notice cancellations to Baybus services are anticipated as Omicron spreads in the community, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council warns.

Bus services continue to operate as normal but the council said it was likely Baybus services would move to an emergency timetable in the coming weeks as drivers and staff could become unwell or were required to self-isolate.

Services used by school children will be prioritised and frequencies will be reduced outside of these peak times.

Transport Operations team lead Jen Proctor said maintaining accessibility around the region to essential services, while keeping our communities safe, was a top priority for the council.

"We will be doing our best to help communities access essential services and give as much notice as possible around details of altered timetables before they start.

"Please check before you ride the bus as service cancellations and timetable changes may impact your travel.

"Thank you in advance for being patient and kind as we move through this next phase of Covid-19 together," Proctor said.

Public transport is an essential service and the following applies to help keep each other safe:

• We encourage contactless payment using a Bee Card and topping up online, but cash is still accepted.
• QR code scanning and wearing face masks is mandatory.

To check your services before you travel, please visit www.baybus.co.nz, call 0800 4 BAY BUS (0800 2 229 287) or check out the Transit app.