Bus capacity increased on two Canterbury routes

Capacity has been boosted on two Canterbury bus routes. 

Timaru’s school bus service, T2, and Route 86 Darfield to the City, have now both been increased to cater for the high demand they face.  

An additional assistant bus is being used on the Route 86 service in the mornings starting at West Melton, as this is where the extra capacity is needed. The West Melton bus will arrive a few minutes earlier than the double-decker from Darfield, with both buses leaving West Melton for the city at the same time of 7.20am.  

A double-decker bus has been added to the T2 route which services Timaru Boys’ and Girls’ High Schools as well as Roncalli College and Sacred Heart School to help students commute to and from school. 

We know both routes have been well used and have been in need of some extra space, so we’re pleased to be able to provide this now. 

As determined by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, school buses can legally take up to 60 people including standing and seated customers. This means that if the bus is loaded to capacity, no more students can board. 

We encourage students to arrive early to help them secure their spots and families to discuss back-up transport options in case.