The Hawke's Bay Regional Council is anticipating a surge in passengers on its contracted Go Bus services in the wake of rising petrol prices.
"When petrol hit a high two years ago we saw a definite rise in patronage," the council's passenger transport manager Carol Gilbertson said.
She said other smaller spikesin petrol prices since then had created a trend where passenger numbers showed similar upward spikes. Yet while petrol may be rising, fares would not.
The services were run on a fixed price contract through the council and costs, like fuel increases, were effectively budgeted for and contained.
"People will still be able to use the buses at the same fares - we are not anticipating any price rises for now."
Mrs Gilbertson said if the numbers grew to the stage where extra services were required they would be put on.
Bus use had already been on the rise before the latest fuel hikes, and the council is extending its Napier-Hastings service from July.
Extra capacity will be made available on the popular morning and evening commuter services between the two cities.
Taxi fares are also not expected to rise at this stage, although the fuel situation was being closely monitored, Hawke's Bay Combined Taxis general manager Wayne England said.
Of the company's 45-strong fleet, only five ran solely on petrol.
"The others run on LPG and we also have hybrid vehicles - that assists us in holding prices."
