Subsequent to its demise, the Board's bus operation was transferred to a Local Authority Trading Enterprise (LATE) and was just one of several service providers in Christchurch following deregulation in mid-1991.

With public sentiment in favour of electrification, and the parlous financial state of the private tramway companies making it unlikely that they would be able to provide such a service, the councils were opposed to renewing the concessions.

Later that year the tramway district was expanded to include the Riccarton – Sockburn sub-district, resulting in a ninth board position being created,[8] which was filled by John Joseph Dougall.

Despite the significant capital investment required for infrastructure renewal in the private tramway lines, and the limited utility of other assets for the Board's operation, none of the parties could reach agreement on a suitable price.

As with the earlier private tramway operators, the Board derived much of its income from the carriage of passengers attending major social events or on excursions to popular locations like the beach or racetrack.

Some of the incumbent members warned voters about the possibility of a left-leaning Board putting the concerns of workers ahead of those of the travelling public, and succeeded in having only a single candidate from the opposing camp elected.

Despite the high maintenance and inventory costs associated with these vehicles, they were used to establish permanent routes to Bryndwr (originally planned to be a tramline), Springfield Road, Pleasant Point (feeder service), Shirley and Avonside.

When the union refused to agree to these terms, the Board exploited a loophole in the industrial award, dismissing its entire traffic staff and then inviting them to apply for new positions with the new conditions.

Another factor in the Board's favour during this time was the large number of military personnel stationed in and around Christchurch, from the Army at Burnham, the Airforce at Wigram, and a contingent of American soldiers based in the city.

This enabled the commencement of new services in 1946 to areas not covered by the tramway network including Mount Pleasant, Somerfield, Creyke Road, Huntsbury, Wharenui, and Sanatorium on the Cashmere Hills.

Accepting that significant capital investment was required to replace the worn-out tramway with buses, the Citizen's Board was granted permission in February 1948 to raise a loan of £1,350,000, subject to approval by plebiscite.

Following the sale and break-up of Midland Motors, the Board obtained its licences to operate public transport services and assumed control of its rural bus routes in November 1982.

This period, known colloquially as the "bus wars", resulted in many minor traffic accidents, altercations between staff of rival companies and the Board, and buses and trams appearing to race each other on many occasions to be the first to collect passengers.

It was believed that there was a "psychological advantage" in the Board's favour in that its line connected directly with Cathedral Square whereas passengers of the Railways Department heading the same way faced a walk up Colombo Street from Moorhouse Avenue.

A significant portion of the Board's business was derived from the evening fares of people going out to social functions or events at places such as cinemas, dance halls, clubs, and the like.

The acquisition of the remaining bus services of Midland Motorways by the Board in November 1982 gave it access to several towns and settlements north of Christchurch, which it apportioned to both the Papanui Road and Cranford Street routes.

Following the successful introduction of diesel buses on the Worcester Street, Dallington, and Railway Station routes in 1936, the Board made plans in 1938 to introduce them to other lightly patronised tramlines, specifically St. Martins and Fendalton/Opawa.

After performing due diligence on the operation, the Board decided not to continue the service, in part because they were hoping to also acquire the business of Inter City Motors and thereby establish a new route serving North Beach, Wainoni, and Avonside.

The central city terminus was located on Gloucester Street near Chancery Lane, a stop that was shared with several other routes started at around this time due to space constraints in Cathedral Square.

With the passage of the Motor Omnibus Traffic Act in 1926, these operators were either driven out of business or purchased by the Board, upsetting many travellers who did not appreciate the mode change at Sockburn or the fact that through fares were not available.

The successful bidder took over the service on 15 November 1926, but soon discovered that a significant portion of their patronage was derived from workers at the Islington freezing works which, when out of season, considerably affected the revenue they earned.

Selected Islington services used a modified route along Waterloo and Carmen Roads from September 1957 including stops at several industrial installations for the benefit of workers in the suburbs of Sockburn and Hornby.

The rolling stock available to the Board at the commencement of its services in June 1905 consisted of both electric trams it had commissioned and vehicles acquired from the private tramway companies that had previously served Christchurch.

[30] The manner in which buses were added to the Board's fleet in its early years typically involved the purchase of a chassis and running gear from a supplier, agent, or manufacturer followed by assembly and construction of a body either in its own workshops or at a local firm.

Though the trolley buses introduced only a few years earlier had performed well and found favour with passengers, their dependence on fixed infrastructure did not suit the Board's preference for operational flexibility.

Satisfied with the performance of the diesels now in its fleet, the Board attempted to order an additional 13 Regal chassis with which it intended to construct buses for the replacement of tram services to Fendalton and Opawa.

Concerns were raised about the buses being assembled in England rather than supporting local manufacturers, but the Board considered its decision justified in light of its need for vehicles to replace trams that were being withdrawn from service at about the same time.

Numbers 244 and 246 ended their days with the Board, once withdrawn from revenue service in September 1954, as shuttles for staff bicycles between the central city terminus and the Moorhouse Avenue depot, until sold in 1958.

A fourth model 81 Republic was added to the fleet from private operator C. R. Brown after the Board acquired his business following the enactment of the "Motor Omnibus Traffic Act" in 1926.

The entrance to the vehicle was by way of narrow, steep steps, making ingress and egress difficult; the bus was initially fitted with weather blinds rather than windows, which offered little protection from the elements; solid rubber tyres on rough roads made for poor ride quality; and despite frequent recharging, it occasionally failed to complete a shift without running out of power.