Double decker bus in Kihikiihi
Bus use in and around Te Awamutu continues to climb.
A double decker bus during its loop around Kihikihi.
Patronage on the Te Awamutu–Kihikihi service rose nearly 14 per cent over the past year.
Waikato Regional Council figures show passenger numbers on the route increased to 142,575 trips and March the busiest month, when there were 14,495 passengers.
Demand remains strongest on services linked to schools, a trend reflected across the wider Waipā district.
While Te Awamutu’s growth is steady, public transport use across the district is accelerating, particularly on the Cambridge route, which has overtaken Te Awamutu in total passenger numbers for the first time.
A passenger has his Bee card at the ready to scan off the bus.
Nearly 150,000 trips were taken on the Cambridge service in 2025, driven largely by high school students following the introduction of additional trips before and after school.
The regional council says the extra services have helped meet demand from students living in Leamington and travelling to the Taylor Street school stop.
Liz Stolwyk
Regional councillor Liz Stolwyk said she was thrilled with the Waipā and King Country figures.
“The data certainly confirms that public transport is becoming a trusted and practical travel choice across the region and I don’t see this as a short-term spike.
“The numbers show a sustained shift in travel behaviour which is fantastic. When reliable and well-connected services are provided, people will use them,” she said.
According to Sandra Sesto‑Dekic, Team Leader Customer Focus at the council, Cambridge’s growth was especially noticeable during school terms.
She says journeys within Cambridge itself, along with the Te Awamutu–Kihikihi service, remain relatively low outside peak school travel, giving the council something to focus on this year.
Regional routes present a mixed but encouraging picture.
The Te Kūiti–Hamilton service, which stops in Te Awamutu, recorded stable patronage compared with the previous year. The council says maintaining those numbers through 2024 and 2025 provides a solid platform for future growth.
A targeted promotional pack is being developed to raise awareness of the service across Ōtorohanga and Waitomo districts, with the aim of increasing usage and strengthening the route’s long‑term viability.
Further south, patronage on Route 32 between Tokoroa and Hamilton showed a downward trend. In contrast, the daily Taumarunui service — jointly funded with Te Whatu Ora Waikato and stopping at Te Kūiti Hospital – recorded a 40 per cent increase.
Te Kuiti Connector launch: from left, is then Waitomo district deputy mayor Allan Goddard, Waikato regional councillor Angela Strange, Ōtorohanga deputy mayor Annette Williams, Waikato regional councillor Stu Kneebone, Waitomo district mayor John Robertson and Ōtorohanga district councillor Steve Hughes.
The service is primarily used by patients travelling to and from Waikato Hospital for outpatient appointments.
Elsewhere in the region, a Waikato district service serving Tamahere, Mātangi and Tauwhare continues to attract passengers, highlighting the appeal of a stop at the University of Waikato campus.
The council says overall the figures point to growing confidence in public transport across Waipā and Te Awamutu remains a key part of the district’s evolving bus network.
A double decker bus leaves Kihikihi enroute to Te Awamutu and Hamilton. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
