Frequently asked questions

Fares depend on the number of zones you travel through. Check the zone map and fare table to find your fare. 

No. All of our Te Pahi buses don't currently accept EFTPOS, Debit or Credit Cards. There are two ways of paying for your bus fare:

1. Bee Card
2. Cash

A Bee Card is a reusable, contactless card for paying fares and loading concessions. For more info, visit the Bee Card page. 

Zone-based fares with Community Connect are half-price:

No, it only applies when loaded onto a registered Bee Card. The 103 - Patea to Hāwera bus service is cash-only; show your Community Services Card to the driver to receive the discount. 

Yes. You’ll need two separate Bee Cards - one for each concession. Use your SuperGold card for free off-peak travel (9 am–3 pm weekdays, after 6:30 pm weekdays, and all day Saturday) and your Community Connect card for half-price fares during peak times. We recommend marking one card with a sticker or pen to easily tell them apart! 

Youth (ages 5–18) can get discounted fares by registering a Bee Card with their date of birth uploaded. Once your Bee Card is registered, the discount applies automatically. 

Total Mobility customers get a permanent 75% discount on one-way subsidised taxi fares, up to $30 per trip. Please visit our Total Mobility page for more information. 

Always tag on and tag off with your Bee Card. Incorrect tagging may result in non-refundable default cash fares. Check your transactions online, and contact the transport team at info@tepahi.govt.nz or 0800 233 872 if you notice errors. 

The Community Connect fare reductions are reimbursed to Taranaki Regional Council by central government. 

A Bee Card costs $5, plus a minimum $5 top-up. If you’re a Community Connect concession holder, you’re eligible for one free Bee Card. 

Every passenger aged 5 and over should have their own Bee Card. Children under 5 travel free. Bee Cards can be used to pay for another passenger, but any loaded concessions apply only to the cardholder.

Yes, cash is accepted, but fares are more expensive. Using a Bee Card is cheaper and allows discounts for eligible passengers. 

Don’t worry! When you top up or transfer balance, it may show as “pending” in your online account until you next tag on your Bee Card on the bus. Once you do, your pending balance becomes active. You can check both your cash and pending balance under “Manage Card” in your account.

You may be charged a default (higher) fare. It’s always best to tag on and off each journey.

Your card reader shows your fare and remaining balance when you tag off. Online, top-ups may show as “pending” until your next tag-on. 

If registered, your balance can be transferred to a replacement card. Contact the TRC Transport team at info@tepahi.govt.nz or 0800 233 872.

Yes, up to 100 cards can be linked to a single account. Cards must be registered individually.

Motu Move is a national ticketing system for buses, trains, and ferries. For now, your Bee Card works as usual - nothing changes immediately. For updates, visit motumove.govt.nzopen_in_new  

Our school buses service 10 Taranaki schools, namely Devon Intermediate, Francis Douglas Memorial College, Highlands Intermediate, Inglewood High School, New Plymouth Boys’ High School, New Plymouth Girls’ High School, Sacred Heart Girls’ College, Spotswood College, Stratford High School and Waitara High School. Visit our school timetables page and select your child’s school to view available routes, maps and timetables.

You can also track your bus in real time.

Some schools are served by a mix of services. The buses you’ve seen may be part of the Te Pahi New Plymouth urban network or services run by the Ministry of Education. 

Te Pahi urban buses are open to the public and may be an option for your child. You can view routes, maps and timetables here. 

If the service is a Ministry of Education (MoE) school bus, you’ll need to check directly with MoE for eligibility and route detailsopen_in_new. 

No - your child can pay with cash. However, using a registered Bee Card means they’ll get the cheapest fare, including the youth concession.

Visit our Bee Card page for instructions on how to register your child’s Bee Card.

Yes, cash is accepted on school buses. Please note that cash fares are higher than Bee Card fares.

We recommend having the correct fare or small change, as drivers may not be able to provide change.

Yes — another student can tag on twice using their Bee Card.

The second trip will be charged at the full (non-concession) adult fare, as only one youth concession can be applied per card at a time.

Your child should wait at the bus stop where they can be clearly seen by the driver.

If they are inside a shelter or not visible from the road, the driver may not see them.

For virtual stops, wait near the location shown on the map. Make sure your child signals clearly to the driver by waving as the bus approaches.

A virtual bus stop is a designated place where students can safely get on and off the bus, even though there is no physical sign or shelter.

We recommend arriving 10 -15 minutes before the scheduled time.

You can also track your child’s bus in real time using the Live Tracking feature on the timetable page.

The bus may be delayed due to traffic or other circumstances. Use Live Tracking to check where the bus is.

If you’re unable to locate the service, please call us on 0800 233 872.

We’ll do our best to help.

Visit the Lost Property section on our website and provide details about the bus service. We’ll pass this on to the right team to help reunite your child with their item as quickly as possible.

All students must follow our Code of Conduct.

If a student behaves in a way that distracts the driver, puts others at risk, or causes damage, action may be taken. This could include warnings, a behaviour agreement, or being stood down from the bus.

Service updates and disruptions are shared on our Alerts page.

We recommend checking this regularly and filtering by school buses to stay up to date.

Standard school bags and small sports gear that fit under the seat are welcome.

Larger items, such as sports equipment or scooters, may be stored in under-bus lockers on some services. Please ask the driver for help.

It means taking more than one bus to get to your destination. Some trips need a quick change along the way- and we’ll help make it easy. 

If you’re using a Bee Card, you won’t be charged another fare -  as long as you tag onto your next bus within 30 minutes of tagging off the first bus.  

Just tag on and tag off for each bus. Your transfer will be applied automatically if it’s within the allowed time of 30 minutes. 

You have 30 minutes once you've tagged off to transfer and tag onto the second bus. 

With a Bee Card, you can make one free transfer in one bus journey. 

No. Free transfers only apply between New Plymouth urban services and school bus routes.

Yes - if there’s an unexpected issue (like a breakdown), one free transfer may be allowed between regional school bus services to help you complete your journey.

When you pay by cash you’ll be given a paper ticket. Hold onto it and show it to the driver when you get on your next bus. 

Transfers are valid for 1 hour from when you buy your ticket and you can make one free transfer. 

If you’re outside the transfer time, a new fare will apply. It’s a good idea to plan ahead and allow enough time between buses. 

All urban buses in New Plymouth, Bell Block and Waitara are fitted with front-mounted bike racks. Regional buses between Hāwera/Ōpunake and New Plymouth don’t have bike racks, but sometimes bikes can be stowed in the luggage compartment (subject to space). 

Bike racks and luggage compartments are free to use on all Te Pahi buses.

Each bike rack can carry a maximum of two bikes at a time. If the rack is full, bikes cannot be taken inside the bus. 

Racks carry bikes with wheels 16in/40cm or larger. The maximum insured value of a bike on a rack is $1,500. eBikes are allowed if they meet these limits: max weight 25kg (55lb), wheelbase 111cm (44in), and wheel diameter 51–74cm (20–29in). 

Yes, these can be carried if there’s space. Please be considerate of other passengers when doing so. 

Drivers are not required to load or unload bikes. You are responsible for handling your own bike safely. 

If your eBike exceeds the weight limit, you may be able to reduce the weight by removing the battery. Removable batteries can be carried on the bus.

Yes! All New Plymouth urban buses are wheelchair accessible. The 101 Hāwera–New Plymouth service also has one accessible bus.

For space reasons, our buses cannot carry large mobility scooters.

Absolutely! Passengers accompanied by service dogs or disability assist dogs are welcome on all our services.

We’re continually working to make our buses more accessible to everyone in the community. Updates on new accessibility improvements will be shared on this page. 

Total Mobility helps people with mobility issues access subsidised door-to-door transport. For more info, visit our Total Mobility section, call 0800 868 662, or email info@tepahi.co.nz  

Total Mobility is a nationwide scheme that helps people with impairments travel safely and independently. In Taranaki, it provides a card for subsidised fares with approved taxis and door-to-door transport, making it easier to get to appointments, work, shops, or social activities. 

By subsidising fares, Total Mobility reduces travel costs, helping you attend appointments, go shopping, visit friends, or take part in community events. Every trip is recorded electronically using your ID swipe card to ensure the correct subsidy is applied. 

Members receive a 75% subsidy per one-way trip, up to $30 (75% of a $40 fare). You pay the remaining fare directly to the driver via cash or EFTPOS.

Arrange an assessment with one of the approved agencies. Once completed, submit your application to Taranaki Regional Council. If approved, your personal ID swipe card will be mailed to you (allow up to 10 working days). 

Contact the Total Mobility team on 0800 868 662. A replacement card costs $5 and may take up to 10 working days to arrive. You’ll need to pay full fares until the new card arrives.

Anywhere within Taranaki where approved Total Mobility transport operators operate (including New Plymouth, Bell Block, Waitara, Stratford, and Hāwera). Your card can also be used in many other regions across New Zealand with participating operators. Trips in other regions are subject to local subsidy limits. 

No. Your card is for your personal travel only. Travel during work or errands by others using your card is not covered. You must be present during the trip. 

Contact the operator directly and book in advance where possible. Let them know if you need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle or other assistance, and that you will be using your Total Mobility card. 

Your card can be used in other parts of New Zealand with approved operators. In regions that still use vouchers, contact the Total Mobility team at least 10 working days in advance. Subsidies and rules vary by region.