The Otago University Students' Association, Otago Polytechnic Students' Association and Generation Zero made submissions to the Otago Regional Council's annual plan hearing in Dunedin yesterday.
OPSA spokesman Mark Baxter said for students and a small group on low incomes, bus fares took up 20% of their income.
''I think that's outrageous, personally.''
If a significant discount - 30%-50% - was given to students and community card holders it would fill the city's empty buses, he said.
Surveys of polytech students had shown while 16% used the bus, up to 70% lived too far from the polytechnic to walk.
''A lot more would use it if they could afford to.''
OUSA spokeswoman Rachel Davidson said the No 1 issue identified in a survey of students was better bus services, especially fare costs, and improving limited timetables.
The council's online timetable was complicated and not as easy to use as other systems elsewhere.
Students also wanted more frequent evening and weekend services, she said.
It would help students be part of the city, enabling them to see the sights, go to the beach and play sports.
Subsidised services during Orientation would not only promote Dunedin but encourage further use during the year, she said.
Generation Zero spokeswoman Florence Isaacs said students' greatest concerns were about reliability of services and better timetable information.
Hearing panel member Cr Bryan Scott said bus services were funded 25% by the New Zealand Transport Agency, 25% by regional council rates and 50% by fares, so they were already subsidised.
City routes were being reviewed to simplify them and other improvements to timetabling were being considered.
Hearing panel member Cr Michael Deaker said the council had tried twice to set up campus bus services and both times had been ''embarrassing failures''.
The students' associations needed to get together with their relevant tertiary providers to discuss how a student discount could be made possible, he said.
''We can't manufacture money. You can't expect every ratepayer to subsidise your people. If the institution benefits, they should chip in.''
Hearing panel member Cr Trevor Kempton suggested a semester-length fare card could be an option giving those who used it frequently a discount.
''It's about risk-sharing.''
