ORC Transport manager Lorraine Cheyne said free buses would be offered on all Dunedin routes, all day, as part of a Connecting Dunedin initiative.
“Passengers will not have to ‘tag on and off’ with their Bee Cards, as machines will be deactivated for the day. Passengers will still be able to buy or top up their Bee Card,” Ms Cheyne said.
Car Free Day is an annual international event, which encourages motorists to give up their vehicles for a day to try walking, cycling or taking the bus.
“This opportunity for a free trip will hopefully be a prompt for those who are still a bit bus-shy to give it a go. Our recent service improvements mean there’s a lot more opportunity to take a later bus home if you plan on staying in town after work.’’
Ms Cheyne said more people were already choosing the bus, with patronage data showing a 10% increase in Dunedin passenger numbers compared to the same period pre-Covid.
“Collectively we can all help reduce air pollution, reduce carbon emissions and boost our health.”
Timetables and the journey planner can be found at orc.govt.nz/orbus
Connecting Dunedin is a partnership between Dunedin City Council, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and Otago Regional Council, who are working to co-ordinate transport projects across the city.
