The buses NZSki lays on to take snow enthusiasts to Coronet Peak and Remarkables skifields are proving popular this winter.
NZSki transport manager Etienne Raubenheimer said the company's fleet of 30 4WD buses and supplementary rental buses transported more than 1000 people to the Remarkables and Coronet Peak every day, some days rising to 2000.
"When it's busy there's only a five-minute gap ... They were just filling up and leaving and filling up and leaving.
"It's just dropped off now that the school holidays have ended, but we can get 12 buses out in an hour."
The demand was split 50-50 between Coronet and the Remarkables and 45% of Coronet Peak's customers used NZSki's buses, which he attributed partly to the 'intimidating" roads.
While the roads to the fields were designed so vehicles slid into a ditch rather than off the road, "you do have to take precautions", and he did not recommend the road to nervous drivers.
"The bus doesn't suit every person's needs but it's really good for keeping the vehicle numbers to a manageable amount, which is good for environmental reasons and health and safety."
Coronet Peak ski area manager Hamish McCrostie said Coronet's customers were encouraged to use the service as it "reduced fuel consumption and took the pressure off the car parks".
NZSki's bus service was launched in 2009 and each year a substantial amount of money was spent on upgrading and buying new buses.
Kiwi Discovery general manager Tim Barke said his company had 25 buses and demand was "just starting to ease off".
