Connectabus will operate its Arthurs Point service without an Otago Regional Council subsidy by the end of next month, making it the first fully commercial route in the Queenstown bus company's schedule.
ORD corporate services director Wayne Scott said the Queenstown bus service had been subsidised by the regional council for the past two years, after it was awarded a contract in 2010 to operate a combination of subsidised and non-subsidised services on a trial basis.
The subsidised services were Queenstown to Arthurs Point, Frankton to Kelvin Heights, and Glenda Drive/Quail Rise/Lake Hayes Estate. The commercial services were Queenstown to Arrowtown, Remarkables Park, and Fernhill/Sunshine Bay.
Mr Scott said the Arthurs Point service would operate with a reduced subsidy until September.
Connectabus was reviewing the timetable for the remaining services so they would ultimately reflect use and peak service requirements.
Any changes would ideally be in place by the end of this calendar year.
Mr Scott said Wakatipu residents and visitors had been "very supportive" of the trial.
Patronage figures across the network saw the number of trips taken rise from 517,78 in the 2010-11 financial year to 619,816 in the 2011-12 financial year.
