Tauranga's summer holiday crowds will be able to catch the bus at least two hours later into the evening during weekends and public holidays.
Bus services connecting the Mount and Papamoa with the downtown will be the main beneficiaries of the trial from December 28 to February 2, adding up to $110,000 to the Bay's heavily subsidised bus services.
The trial follows complaints of overloading and weekend buses not running late enough into the evenings.
The Bay of Plenty Regional Council's transport operations officer, Mike Furniss said the demand for evening services from the Mount far outstripped capacity, to the extent people were being left behind at bus stops because buses were full.
Changes to Routes 1, 2 and 33 were approved at yesterday's meeting of the council's public transport committee. It will also impact on when the last buses leave Bayfair, Pyes Pa, Greerton and Windermere (Cambridge Rd).