Like other public transport across New Zealand, Te Huia is funded by a combination of passenger fares and public funding.
The public funding requirement is equal to the gross operating cost, less fare revenue.
Funding is dynamic – if fare revenue is higher, then public funding will be lower and vice versa.
- Public funding for Te Huia is as follows:
- Waikato Regional Council (WRC) – via targeted rate: 21.20%
- Waikato District Council (WDC) – via general rate: 3.30%
- Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (Waka Kotahi) – via National Land Transport Fund: 75.50%.
Please note the above percentage figures will be updated shortly.
Te Huia is funded by New Zealand Transport Agency and local councils through to June 2026. There is currently no further committed funding beyond that date. Council partners are working to make the case for making Te Huia a permanent service, but success will depend on demonstrating strong value for money. Fare revenue from passengers will be expected to make up a higher proportion of funding in the future: currently it is around 15% of operating costs. This will require fares to be regularly reviewed and potential further service improvements within the current budget.