Young commuters feeling the pinch as transport subsidy cut

WELLINGTON: One of the government’s upcoming changes is causing a stir among young commuters.

The public transport subsidy will end on April 30, meaning 1624yearolds will no longer be paying half price.

It also means an end to free rides for those aged 515.

First Up visited several bus stops in central Auckland to see what young people thought.

Jess, 16, travelled about 25km on two buses and a train from Mangere ¯ into the Auckland CBD five days a week.

She usually spent $25 or $50 per week and said the halfprice fares for young people should stay.

‘‘I think that’s kind of trash . . . elderly people, they get free rides via their gold card and that.’’

Halfprice fares were first introduced in March 2022 to woo commuters back on to buses, trains and ferries after Covid19.

They were originally for all ages, but were ended for over25s in 2023, with the subsidy for those aged 1624 remaining in place until now.

Duncan, 26, said the amount of money he spent on bus fares did not bother him when they were half price.

He spent about $50 a week to catch the bus from Onehunga into town and said it soon mounted up.

‘‘It’s like $5 either way, which sounds fine until you realise you’re spending $10 a day . . . five days a week. And then you try to argue that you’re saving money by not getting fuel for a car or anything, but it feels like I’m spending an awful lot.’’

Duncan said 16 to 24yearolds were often the people who desperately needed help financially.

‘‘A lot of them don’t have good jobs or anything . . . So it’s gonna take way more of a sum out of their pay than someone like me who has a fulltime job.’’

Otago Regional Council is keeping free fares for children aged 5 to 12, while Invercargill City Council has extended the subsidies for two months.