Enough fuel in the tank to keep Wellington’s buses running
Monday, 16 March 2026
The fallout from any potential nationwide fuel rationing on Wellington’s public transport system is unclear, but the Greater Wellington Regional Council says there is enough in the tank to keep services running.
Only a quarter of Wellington’s 488 buses run on electricity. The capital’s public transport operator, Metlink, said it was monitoring any potential fuel impacts because of the war in the Middle East.
The regional council’s public transport committee deputy chairperson, Tom James, said the bus operators had enough fuel supplies to keep services running without disruptions and public transport was the most fuel-efficient way to travel.
He said the Government should reduce public transport fares as part of any support package over turbulent petrol prices: “If more people get on board our buses and trains, that means fewer people queuing at the pump and there'll be more petrol and diesel for those who have to drive.”
The council said last year it wanted only electric buses to run on trunk routes by 2030. Five electric bendy buses were due to arrive in early 2027 to run on the busiest Route 2, where existing electric double-deckers were too high for the Karori and Seatoun tunnels.
As of midnight on Monday last week, New Zealand’s stocks of petrol, diesel and jet fuel were “all normal”, with 49 days worth of diesel – the primary fuel for buses and heavy trains – sitting in local depots or being shipped.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis said during a briefing on Monday all fuel companies reported they have more than the minimum three weeks’ fuel in stock and more were on the way.
Metlink’s senior manager for commercial partnerships, Lisa Rossiter, said it would follow the direction of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) on a “nationally coordinated approach” in case of any escalation and announce if any service changes were needed.
“Metlink maintains a Business Continuity Plan which is under active review and sets out how we will continue to operate under varying levels of disruption.”
The 2024 National Fuel Plan, the Government’s playbook on fuel emergencies, categorised public transport operators like rail, buses and ferries as “critical customers” along with emergency services and hospitals, giving them preferred access to fuel.
Willis said the advice she received was more people would choose to use public transport when petrol prices were high.
“Our key focus is on ensuring the availability of public transport,” she said. “We want to be assured that it’s available to people and it’s functioning in a way that were possible.”
If the Government was to provide financial assistance, Willis added, that would be “timely, targeted and temporary”.
“Clear in my mind is ‘the mother potentially living in South Auckland’ who has no choice but to use her car each day to get to her cleaning shift at the airport as there is not a bus available for her at that time and who is facing acute income pressure.”
Local Democracy Reporting (LDR) is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air