Funding Boost Improves Bus Safety For Rural Wairarapa Students

Rural students across the Wairarapa will soon be more visible and safer on their journeys to and from school thanks to a successful funding application by the Wairarapa Road Safety Council.

The Council has secured funding through Kinetic’s 2025 Moving Communities Fund, enabling the purchase of 550 high-visibility bus vests for rural school students.

The inaugural round of New Zealand funding attracted close to 300 applications, with 16 receiving monetary grants from across the country, making the Wairarapa initiative a significant achievement for the region.

The vests are being distributed to rural students who travel to and from school by bus, helping ensure they are easily seen by drivers when boarding, disembarking, or walking near rural roads.

Holly Hullena, Projects Coordinator for the Wairarapa Road Safety Council, said the funding will make a real difference for families and schools across the region.

“Visibility saves lives. On rural roads, vehicles travel at higher speeds and drivers may not expect children near the roadside. These high-visibility vests help ensure our tamariki are seen when it matters most.”

“School buses are one of the safest ways for children to travel, but the moments before boarding and after getting off the bus are where we must be extra careful. Making children highly visible adds another important layer of protection.”

The initiative comes at an important time, with daylight saving having come to an end, meaning darker mornings and evenings on the road.

“As daylight hours change, visibility becomes even more important. These vests help drivers see children earlier and give them more time to slow down and react safely.

“The support has extended beyond funding, with Kinetic also donating media support that enabled a regional radio campaign across major MediaWorks stations, reinforcing back-to-school safety messages as kids return for Term 2.”

Kinetic’s Moving Communities Fund supports grassroots organisations working to strengthen communities and improve outcomes for young people and vulnerable groups. The programme provides grants of up to $10,000 to initiatives making a practical difference at the local level.

Hullena said the project reflects a shared responsibility between drivers, families and communities to keep young people safe.

“Road safety is everyone’s responsibility. Drivers must slow down around school buses, parents can reinforce safe road behaviours, and communities can support initiatives like this that make children more visible.”

“Our goal is simple: every child arrives at school safely and returns home safely.”

Go Bus, a subsidiary of Kinetic, provides school bus services across the region. Go Bus North Island General Manager, Mario Kearney, said the initiative highlights the value of local knowledge and community connections.

“As an operator of school bus services across the Wairarapa, we see firsthand how important safety is for students travelling on rural roads. It’s fantastic to see this funding come to life through this initiative by Wairarapa Road Safety Council.

“What’s especially rewarding is that awareness of Kinetic’s Moving Communities Fund was championed locally. Our Wairarapa team is part of the community and understands where support is needed most.

“It’s a great example of how our people, who have their ear to the ground every day, can help connect communities with initiatives that make a real difference.”

The Wairarapa Road Safety Council will distribute the 550 high-visibility vests through selected rural schools in the coming weeks, ensuring students who rely on school buses are more visible during their daily journeys.

“Keeping our tamariki safe and seen on rural roads is paramount. This funding helps us do exactly that.”

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