On the (Regional) buses
Cambridge has overtaken Te Awamutu to become Waipā’s fastest growing bus market.
The Cambridge single and double decker buses pass each other near the Town Clock.
Patronage jumped almost 28 per cent in 2025 as more people – particularly students – took to public transport.
New figures from Waikato Regional Council show Cambridge recorded nearly 150,000 passenger trips on the No 20 route last year, edging ahead of Te Awamutu for the first time.
March was a standout month, when a record 14,419 passenger journeys were made.
A mid-morning Cambridge commuter bus travels through Hamilton East enroute to Cambridge. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
The introduction of additional schooltime services, used by Cambridge High School students, drove much of the growth. Extra buses before and after school helped meet a rising demand from students living in Leamington and travelling to the school stop in Taylor Street.
Te Awamutu bus patronage also rose, up 13.67 per cent to 142,575 trips. March, when 14,495 passengers were recorded, was its busiest month,.
The regional council says the figures paint a mixed but encouraging picture for public transport across the region and Cambridge is emerging as a clear growth area – particularly during school terms.
Liz Stolwyk
Regional councillor Liz Stolwyk was thrilled with the Waipā and King Country figures.
“The data certainly confirms that public transport is becoming a trusted and practical travel choice across the region and I don’t see this as a short-term spike.
“The numbers show a sustained shift in travel behaviour which is fantastic. When reliable and well-connected services are provided, people will use them,” she said.
According to Sandra SestoDekic, team leader Customer Focus at the council, the impact of additional school services in Cambridge has been especially noticeable.
Cambridge’s patronage growth is strongest during the school term, reflecting how important reliable and welltimed services are for students and their families, she said.
While longer commuter routes are performing well, the council says journeys within Cambridge itself – as well as within Te Awamutu and Kihikihi – remain relatively low, providing a focus area for improvement in the year ahead.
Elsewhere in the region, smaller commuter services in the Waikato district – including routes from Tauwhare Pā and Tamahere/Mātangi – completed their first full year of operation and showed steady growth.
A passenger has his Bee card at the ready to scan off the bus.
Their popularity has been driven by the appeal of a direct public transport link to Waikato University.
In contrast, patronage on the Route 32 Tokoroa service declined over the year.
Sesto-Dekic said several factors contributed to the downturn, including significant roadworks on State Highway 1 and within Tokoroa itself, which affected service reliability.
“Our team has been working closely with South Waikato District Council to address these challenges and reduce their impact,” she said.
Cambridge-based driver Craig Matthews with Waikato Regional Council’s Customer Focus team leader Sandra Sesto-Dekic and the new electric double-decker bus. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
The Tokoroa service, which travels through Cambridge, has continued to attract some users from the town, particularly those who prefer the faster journey along the Waikato Expressway to Ruakura rather than travelling through Hillcrest.
In an attempt to rebuild South Waikato patronage, the council had developed more promotional material.
“The service operator has also brought forward a proposal aimed at resolving the operational challenges and futureproofing the service,” said SestoDekic.
For Te Kūiti, stable patronage between 2024 and 2025 has provided what the council describes as a solid platform for future growth.
A targeted promotional campaign is being developed to raise awareness of the service across the Ōtorohanga and Waitomo districts, with the goal of increasing usage and strengthening the longterm viability of the route.
An empty double decker bus from Leamington stops outside Cambridge New World enroute to Hamilton proving there is still work to do on cross town services. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
