Media release: Regular bus service is back from 1 February

A reduced timetable will continue operating in Queenstown until June.

The council has worked with operators to ensure the increased services will run smoothly at key times as far as is possible, says ORC Interim Transport Manager, Doug Rodgers.

“Bus operators have been working hard to bring us a regular timetable in the face of a national shortage of drivers in both Dunedin and Queenstown.”

“More drivers have been recruited for Dunedin which enables an increase in daily trips.” 

“There will be an increase in services, but we ask passengers to prepare for possible cancellations as the new timetable beds in.”

The national bus driver shortage led to a reduced timetable being implemented for both centres in July, as has happened in centres elsewhere around the country.

The updated timetable information will be on the ORC website where passengers would usually find their timetable information, on the Transit App and at the e-stops at the central Dunedin Hub. The new regular timetable information will start to appear at bus stops from February 1st.

The ORC website will host the new timetables from 1 February. In the meantime, passengers can use the Journey Planner function to plan their journey in advance at www.orc.govt.nz/Orbus. Selecting a travel date on the Journey Planner will give the day’s correct timetable, whether before or after 1 February. 

Before setting out on their trip, passengers are urged to check for alerts on the ORC website, or using the Transit app.

A free phone number 0800 672 8736 is also available.