Earlier this month, the council changed the 5.15pm service from the city to Port Chalmers to 5.30pm.
Petition co-organiser Lynne Campbell said people using the service, who finished work at 5pm, now had a long, frustrating wait to catch a bus home, and, with the flow-on effects, got home about 25 minutes later.
"It makes quite a difference."
A journey which could take her 12 minutes by car now took an hour by bus, if waiting time was included, she said.
During two evenings, Ms Campbell and another bus patron collected 30 signatures from regular users of the 5.15pm bus service, asking the council to return to the 5.15pm service.
Of those asked to sign the petition, only three refused, with one preferring the 5.30pm service, and two saying they did not mind what time the bus left.
It had been difficult to find out about the proposed change and a draft timetable given out on the bus - there had not been enough for all passengers - a few months ago did not show a time shift from 5.15pm to 5.30pm, and had included an extra service at 5.45pm.
When a rumour went around the bus that the 5.15pm time was going to change, Ms Campbell said she emailed the council to ask if this was true, but never received a response.
The consultation process had been "virtually nil" and those signing the petition could not understand why the long-standing service, which suited workers who finished at 5pm, had been changed, Ms Campbell said in a letter to the council.
Regional council resource and planning director Fraser McRae said timetables were considered in conjunction with loading and routes, and "how it fits with the overall picture".
The time change was made to "smooth the gap" between services and make them more evenly spread, Mr McRae said.
