Dunedin buses are set to return to full timetables on February 1 after more than half a year at reduced service.
However, users in Queenstown would have to wait until June 1 for a return to a full timetable, the Otago Regional Council said yesterday.
Both centres have been running on a reduced timetable since July 19 last year because of the disruption caused by Covid-19 and illness, which exacerbated a national bus driver shortage.
The frequency of buses on some Dunedin routes was roughly halved while the overall service was reduced by about a third. The Queenstown schedule was reduced by about a quarter.
Council interim chief executive Pim Borren said the deadline for a return to the full timetable in Queenstown needed to be extended after discussions with Queenstown bus operators shortly before Christmas.
There was still a shortage of 800 drivers nationwide, he said.
