Dunedin police have praised the city's bus services after a month-long series of urban bus fleet inspections found the standard of their maintenance was high.
Sergeant Andrew Savage, of the Dunedin police commercial vehicle investigation unit (CVIU), said random level 5 full vehicle safety and compliance inspections were carried out on 24 buses from Otago Road Services, Invercargill Passenger Transport and Ritchies Coachlines.
The inspections were similar to those carried out for certificates of fitness and included brake, steering, suspension, speedo, lighting, fluid, fuel system, exhaust system, chassis and tyre checks, Sgt Savage said.
He said officers had the option of using section 115 of the Land Transport Act to determine if the vehicle needed to be placed out of service and/or whether an offence notice be issued.
Depending on the seriousness of faults, CVIU officers could order vehicles off the road immediately until the defects were repaired, he said.
''The police and the New Zealand Transport Authority were pleased with the standard of buses in Dunedin and we encourage them to keep that standard up.''
