The Baybus bus service is currently continuing to operate as normal, but the Bay of Plenty Regional Council warns there could be cancellations at short notice.

The cancellations are anticipated as Omicron spreads in the community and potentially leads to bus drivers reporting sick, the council says.

It is likely in the coming weeks that Baybus services will move to an emergency timetable as drivers and staff could become unwell or are 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 says maintaining accessibility around the region to essential services, while keeping our communities safe is a top priority for Regional 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.”

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.