Bus patronage across the Canterbury region has almost been cut in half over the lockdown period.
From the beginning of lockdown on March 22 to April 14, 944,574 passengers boarded buses across Environment Canterbury's urban public transport network, which covers the entire region.
This is a 55 per cent decrease from the 2,124,323 bus passengers transported within the same period last year.
Furthermore, in the seven days before Easter, on average 3200 people took the bus per day, a decrease of 91 per cent from the 39,395 passengers per day counted within the same time frame last year.
People are only permitted to use public transport if they are working in an essential service or are getting medical or food supplies.
Buses are currently following the Sunday timetable seven days a week and have been since the lockdown began.
Environment Canterbury senior manager of public transport Stewart Gibbon said it was unable to advise when normal schedules would resume.
"Until we have a clearer understanding of level three characteristics from Government later in the week, we cannot advise on what level of service will be provided for alert level three," he said.
Mr Gibbon said no losses were expected from a decrease in patronage.
"Government announced some weeks ago it was funding fare shortfalls to 100 per cent of otherwise expected levels.
"No redundancies or wage cuts are expected to be applied for public transport service delivery due to this Government funding and support."
Go Bus chief operating officer Nigel Piper said it had not needed to make any cuts to staff due to funding guarantees from ECan and Ministry of Education.
