Between 3pm and 4pm there are only two regular buses that transport pupils from six different Dunedin schools and the regular public from town to Mosgiel.
Bus driver Laurence Simpson said both the 3.12pm and 3.42pm services from Bus Hub Stop F were always "hammered" with people and he was often having to leave pupils behind.
In the past, there had been two support services to help at those times. However, they had been discontinued by the Otago Regional Council and recently replaced by added services that arrived 15 minutes after the 3.42pm service and after every regular service from then on until 5.27pm.
The buses picked up pupils from Otago Boys’ High School, Otago Girls’ High School and Trinity Catholic College by Dowling St and stopped in Green Island in front of the memorial park to pick up pupils transported on a separate service from King’s High School, Queen’s High School and Kaikorai Valley College on their way to Mosgiel.
Mr Simpson said the bus was already full by Dowling St and pupils had to push and shove to reserve their spot on the bus in Green Island.
"Some days they stand back and other days they’re leaning on the bus as I pull in.
"One day somebody is going to get hurt.
"It’s all because they just want to get on the bus because they know they’re going to have to wait another half an hour or 40 minutes."
The ones left behind in Green Island had a shelter that could cover up to about 10 people.
Mr Simpson said he had to leave about 25 children behind in Green Island on the first Thursday back to school this year and on average he was leaving about 15 behind.
Year 12 Queen’s pupil Chelsea Winder, 17, said it was never a great experience trying to get on the bus in Green Island.
"It’s never single file we’re all just like bunched together.
"It’s sort of like we’re a herd of sheep."
She was not looking forward to freezing in the winter sitting in the rain and waiting for the next bus to arrive.
King’s rector Nick McIvor said his school was working with the council, parents and pupils on a solution.
"The demand for bus transport is outstripping supply but we have been informed by the regional council that it is adapting to provide more buses now it has a better sense of how many passengers need a ride with schools settled back in after the break.
"We have encouraged families to pick it up with the regional council too."
Mr Simpson said he had been suggesting introducing a bus that left the hub at 3.27pm to the council since December last year but had no luck getting a proper response so far.
Council transport manager Lorraine Cheyne said additional buses would be dispatched when vehicles and drivers were available if there was a low service frequency and the first express 78 bus to Mosgiel left Dunedin city at 3.30pm providing extra capacity at that time.
She said transport staff were working with the Dunedin City Council in 2023 on the design of a “superstop” in Green Island.
However, it was to be funded under the government’s Transport Choices package that was stopped by the National-led coalition government before Christmas, Ms Cheyne said.
The council was now investigating options for an enlarged shelter and an extended bus bay with available funding which would be subject to public consultation.
