Teething issues already felt on Day One of Tauranga's new bus network

People wait at Farm St bus stop as a new network of buses begins today. Photo / Zoe Hunter

Tauranga's new bus network appears to already be suffering some teething issues.

A reporter at Mount Maunganui's Farm St bus stop at Bayfair said there were about a dozen people at 7.30am waiting for a bus.

"One of the buses has not turned up so there is some confusion. There are some people who have had to get up earlier and wait longer but there are some people who are understanding that this is Day One and there will be teething issues," she said.

Council and bus staff were on hand at the bus stop, handing out sweets and information "making sure everyone is getting on the right bus", the reporter said.

One commuter, who would not be named, said she was not impressed with the changes after having to wait for 45 minutes for her Mount Maunganui-to-Tauranga CBD bus to turn up.

"I had to leave earlier to get to work at the same time I did before, now we are going to be late because the bus hasn't arrived," she said.

Her friend, who also travelled by bus every weekday, said many people were unhappy with the new routes.

"A lot of people have decided to go by cars now after looking at the new timetable," she said.

One man said people now had to catch a minimum of two buses to get to their next destinations.

Another, who caught the bus every day, said he said everyone should have been prepared for some teething issues on Day One and he was happy with the new bus changes.

"It gets buses off the main roads, it's good."