There are concerns in the lower South Island about a bus policy allowing children to stand in the aisles as they travel to and from school.
The Queenstown-Lakes district thought they had solved the issue with a ‘one child, one seat’ policy but principals and parents are concerned about pupils' safety on the open road.
Jumping on the bus is a daily routine for pupils at Hāwea Flat Primary School near Wānaka.
However, having a seat for everyone might be a challenge next year.
"We are going through a sustained period of growth over the last number of years and … identified that our buses were getting crowded," principal Tania Pringle said.
She was hoping for the 'one seat, one child' policy in the latest contract review.
"At the moment, we've got three bus routes and that gives us around 135 seats and we have 205 children eligible to use those school buses."
But the Ministry of Education told 1News its figures were different, saying that while there are 189 eligible students, the fluctuating rolls are accounted for, and its seating capacity allowed for 235 children.
That includes a run-back service, a bus going back to get children not collected on the first run.
But Pringle said crowding and standing while buses are on the open road still exists.
“On a 44-seater, you can put up to 65 children seated, which would mean three children to a seat and you can have 10 children standing.”
The community says it's not good enough.
Parent Jo Goodwin said she relies on her two children catching the bus every day.
"I'd struggle to get them here if they couldn't take the bus and I’m not sure about them standing on the bus," she said.
Bus driver Doug Brenssell said students' safety "to and from school is absolutely paramount".
"I'm not in favour of it and I'm not prepared to do it as a driver - it's totally unsafe."
Statistics show buses are the safest mode of transport on the road, but this is a fight Mayor Jim Boult has been having since 2018.
"I was flabbergasted, to be honest, because I had assurance from the Government departments that it was not going to continue," he said.
" I think somebody just thought that it'll all go away," Boult said. "Well I’m sorry, it isn't - it's our children's safety at stake."
The ministry now says new contracts, which come into effect in January next year, will see some standing passengers permitted to allow for flexibility, manage demand and ensure no student is left behind.
"Suppliers are able to carry standing passengers to allow for a necessary degree of operational flexibility to manage fluctuating demand and to ensure that no eligible student is left behind," the Ministry of Education's Scott Evans told 1News in a statement.
But Pringle said they would prefer to make it that "children are never required to stand - it's a safety issue".
Other schools in the district have similar concerns around children standing during bus journeys.
There are now calls for bus provisions to be reviewed.
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