The idea, floated at the hearing last month into the regional council's proposed changes to its passenger transport plan, was discussed at last week's policy and resource planning committee.
Proposed changes to the plan first notified on December 15 were to address fares, the implementation of integrated ticketing and the GoCard, and a change to tendering evaluation factors.
Committee members carried the motion that the full council adopt the changes recommended by the hearing panel, which included reviewing bus fares as part of the annual plan process.
Panel member Cr Bryan Scott said the council had been very slow in looking at its fare structure and submissions by bus companies had highlighted the financial pressures they were under.
‘‘Reviewing fares annually is a positive thing.''
Panel member Cr David Shepherd said he hoped the changes would alleviate some of the concerns of Citibus and Dunedin Passenger Transport.
Cr Scott said while many of the issues raised in submissions were outside the hearing's scope, he hoped many of the ideas would not be lost.
An idea which stood out was Otago University Students Association proposal that students pay a set amount at the start of the year entitling them to year-long use of the bus.
The benefits of such a scheme, while difficult to set up, could ‘‘be huge' for bus companies, which would get cash up front, and it might even encourage students to live throughout Dunedin, he said.
‘‘This could be the catalyst for taking the bus system to another level.''
Panel member Cr Michael Deaker said opinions he had canvassed at the university showed the concept was widely supported.