A reporter at the scene on Welcome Bay Rd said police confirmed one of two men seriously injured in the collision died after their car and the bus collided outside the Faith Bible College.
The bus was unoccupied.
Emergency services were still working on freeing the car's other occupant.
Both men had been trapped.
The road was closed and diversions were in place.
Western Bay of Plenty head of road policing Senior Sergeant Ian Campion said the crash happened at 9.05am.
Police said the dead man, believed to be in his 20s and from Tauranga, was a passenger in the car.
The male driver of the car was taken to Tauranga Hospital but was not believed to be seriously injured.
Police said early indications were that the car lost control and crossed the centre line after rounding a bend before hitting the bus travelling in the opposite direction.
- From the Bay of Plenty Times
