Raumanga's Chad Ashby grabs the opportunity for a free bus ride as driver Steve Gibbs gets ready to start his next run. Photo/John Stone.
Many Northland people didn't need telling twice to "get on yer bus" when free buses were on offer during World Carfree Day.
On Friday the Northland Regional Council teamed up with the four-company BusLink operators - Ritchies, CBEC, Hokianga Express and the Kaikohe Bus Company - to offer free rides
on their respective fleets to mark Carfree Day.
Free Ride Day trips were available all day, including the Hokianga Express and the Mid North Link's Route 3 from Kaikohe to Kerikeri, which don't normally operate on a Friday.
Northland Regional Transport Committee chairman John Bain was at the Whangarei Rose St bus terminal handing out jelly beans and water bottles, and chatting with bus passengers about what they'd like to see in the way of public services.
The four operators varied in size - from the largest, CityLink, which runs a fleet of eight 40-seater buses in urban Whangarei carrying more than 1200 people daily, to the smallest, Hokianga Link, which operates a single 11-seater van.
