One commuter, who would not be named, said she was not impressed with the changes after having to wait 45 minutes for her Mount Maunganui-to-Tauranga CBD bus to turn up and was made late for work.
Another, who caught the bus every day, said everyone should have been prepared for some teething issues on day one and he was happy with the new bus changes.
"It gets buses off the main roads, it's good."
Matua resident Jon Stone relies on taking the bus because he does not drive and he said he arranged all of his activities, including his grocery shopping, around the old 70 bus route.
His previous route took him all around Matua, up Otumoetai Rd, past New World Brookfield for his grocery shopping and to and from town. Now, he has to catch two buses.
"I have to get off the 70 and walk along Ngatai Rd, cross a very busy roundabout and wait about 15 minutes to catch the 72," he said.
"The 72 then goes up Otumoetai Rd and turns down Grange Rd where I get off on its way into town. However, I can't get to New World or other places I used to go to."
Rachel Pinn, the regional council's programme leader for passenger transport, was overall "really happy" with the first day, but admitted there were a few to-be-expected operational issues.
"There were also a few other things happening on our network this morning - a crash on Hewletts Rd and some roadworks on State Highway 29A."
Other teething issues included an operational issue with the Hospital Link, which connected the CBD, Mount Maunganui and Bayfair, running every 15 minutes.
There were also reports of 20-minute call waits for the bus call centre.
Passengers also noted some bus drivers appeared to be unfamiliar with the roads.
Pinn said about 50 per cent of the bus drivers working on the new network were new but had been undergoing training since October.
Some drivers had transferred from previous contractor GoBus at the weekend and 20 drivers were sent from Auckland and will stay in Tauranga until enough local staff were employed, she said.
Tauranga City Council transport manager Martin Parkes said the Farm St bus stop at Bayfair was a temporary bus exchange and a more permanent one was being considered.
Councillor Catherine Stewart said she took a bus into town yesterday morning and although she experienced a hiccup she planned to "persist" with taking the bus.
"When I got to the bus stop the sign said that from noon the route works in reverse, so I crossed the road and then 10 minutes later a bus came along going the opposite way. But I did get here."
It took her 35 minutes on the bus from Cherrywood.
Additional reporting - Samantha Motion
New services:
- The new network includes 17 routes providing services between Te Puke and Tauranga City, offering passengers more transfer options.
- Transfer points at Greerton, (Chadwick St), Brookfield, (Bellevue and Millers Rd), Hairini, (Welcome Rd and Ohauiti intersection) as well as Bayfair and Tauranga CBD.
