Palmy bus changes confuse students who just want to get to class

Longer routes, less bus stops and endless delays are making Manawatū Massey students late to class.  

Two weeks ago, Horizon’s bus routes changed to have longer routes distributed around the city, less bus stops and 100% electric buses.  

While the new electric buses were meant to be faster, the longer routes cause them to be consistently behind. 

Zoology student, Siobhan Barnard, said she was late to class three times, and had accidentally taken a bus to the airport, due to the confusion of the new structure.  

Barnard said, “I am very confused as to why there is almost no buses throughout the day that actually gets you to Massey.” 

Vet student Gabrielle Hydes said, “I take a regional bus every day from Martin to Palmerston North, and it does not line up with the Massey Bus.” 

“I ended up missing my bus by one minute.” 

Hydes also said she must leave class early to catch the only bus that runs in the evenings back to Martin. 

Hydes is unable to drive due to their epilepsy.  

Psychology student Sarah Goodman said there used to be a bus stop right outside her house. But now she must walk twenty minutes to the next stop.  

Goodson said, “People with dyslexia and other disabilities had trouble looking at these new bus timetables. I had to help my partner with Irlen’s syndrome by explaining the timetable to them and circling our specific routes to make it easier to read.” 

A second-year Vet student originally from Wellington was worried that the buses will become like the Wellington buses, which tend to be cancelled last minute.  

The student said, “It really does worry me, because I enjoyed how easy these buses were when I moved up here. They were at worst 5 minutes behind. But now I am stuck waiting longer, just like I did in Wellington.” 

Bus company, Horizons, was asked about the bus changes and the effect it had on students, but did not provide a response.