The Ministry of Education has recently announced it will withdraw funding for Tauranga's urban school bus routes in 2015.
To plug the gap, Bay of Plenty Regional Council will provide replacement services through a new network called Schoolhopper – where children will be charged $1.15 for concessionary travel and $1.60 for cash fares.
However, in light of recent announcements Western Bay of Plenty principals are concerned about increased tardiness and falling attendance figures.
Welcome Bay School principal Nik House says this week's drop-in information session shows a level of unrest and anger from some parents about having to pay for a bus service that traditionally has been funded.
Others are also wary of some of the existing bus routes changing, placing added pressure on parents getting their children to the nearest routes.
Read more about the changes here.
SunLive asked people in the community what they thought about the changes and who they though should pay for school buses.
Watch the video above to see what people said.
10 comments
School Bus
Posted on 08-11-2014 18:07 | By THEDUFFYS
Its a choice -have services or reduce the national debt. Personally i choose to keep the bus and the slow the debt reduction rate
This is not a government issue
Posted on 08-11-2014 18:56 | By How about this view!
As I understand the situation, Tauranga is possibly the only city to have Ministry of Education funded school bus services and I see no reason why we should be a special case. However, with a city built around a harbour and too few schools (2000+ students in one school is far too many) We have transport issues that are set to cause more gridlock when the new term begins next year. We need our kids to get more exercise and either walk or cycle, but it needs to be in safe environments and away from our mad motorists. Maybe we should have our cycle lanes along some of the back streets that are less frequented.
School buses
Posted on 08-11-2014 19:06 | By Bruce G
How many kids pass other schools to get to a school on the other side of town. Bring back school zones, jump on your bike, problem solved.
user pays
Posted on 08-11-2014 20:16 | By joe p
The time has come for users of a service have to pay. If you need to ride a bus to get to school then maybe you are not going to the closest school from your home, one could ride a bike or walk like we had to years ago, didn't do us any harm, actually very good exercise to start the day.Free buses were originally for country kids to get to school, not for town kids who could walk, bike etc. Money for education should be spent on educating, not providing transport for students who wish to go to a school that is not in their area.
How about walking?
Posted on 08-11-2014 23:52 | By monty1212
Get them up an hour or so early and make them walk like we did!
why
Posted on 09-11-2014 08:58 | By whodaman04
can't the parents pay.Not my children not my financial problem
Bike or walk and fight obesity
Posted on 09-11-2014 11:58 | By BullShtAlert
This could be the right time to encourage physical exercise, just like we used to do before the obesity and lardo epidemic we now read about. Then we wouldn't need food and fizzy drink police because we'd burn off those extra calories. But to the question of who should pay for school buses, well someone else of course!
buses bikes or walk?
Posted on 09-11-2014 17:22 | By Me again
One or two of you good folks say walk to school for these children. Well take a look at some of the stats of children on the roads alone walking. Being harrassed by people in cars to hop in for a lolly Having accidents on their bike and so on. In your day and mine the speed limit wasn't what it is today. So to keep our kids safe parents I afraid should fork out for their kids to get to school, bus or family car or car-pooling.
regardless the ratepayer will be paying
Posted on 09-11-2014 19:48 | By Murray.Guy
If the BOPRC is to initiate a service it will be the ratepayers that are paying the 'lions share', just as they do for all urban bus services, NOT the user, but the user will still complain. The initial purpose and intent for the taxpayer funded 'free to user' school bus services to rural families was relevant to a time mostly long since past and incrementally over time abused.
Long distances, unsafe roads
Posted on 10-11-2014 12:40 | By Mel B
My son goes to Boys College and takes a bus from Bethlehem/Tauriko. The nearest College is Bethlehem College which financially isn't an option for us. It's not exactly a safe option for him to walk or bike so I m sure I will be one of the many who will now drop off and pick up at school. I dare say the congestion around schools will grow.
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