Codiac Transpo passengers can travel for free until Jan. 31. (CBC)

Codiac Transpo has announced partial bus service will resume in greater Moncton on Dec. 17.

Buses will start rolling on 10 routes, said acting general manager Angela Allain.

"As soon as other buses become road worthy, we will announce additional routes," she said, likely by late January.

Passengers will be able to travel for free until Jan. 31, Mayor George LeBlanc said in a statement.

The taxi chit program will also remain in place until the complete system is up and running, officials said.

Meanwhile, any passengers who purchased a monthly pass for July and did not get reimbursed during the five-month lockout will be able to use that pass for the month of February.

Passengers with a June pass can substitute the remaining four days of that month for a 20-ride punch card.

The City of Moncton had locked out about 80 bus drivers, mechanics and service people on June 27 with wages being a key stumbling block.

But the union representing locked out Codiac Transpo workers and the city ratified a new deal on Nov. 30, bringing an end to the lengthy contract dispute.

"We are thrilled that all but one driver decided to return," the mayor said.

All three mechanics also returned and three additional mechanics have been hired, LeBlanc said.

The mechanics have been inspecting the buses and getting them ready for service.

Codiac Transpo unveiled a series of changes to its routes and service on Dec. 6.

The new service will see more buses being on 30-minute loops, reduced travel times, shorter waits at transfer points and the ability to expand or contract routes based on rider demand trends.

The city hopes the changes will help boost ridership, officials have said. But some of the changes have come under fire.

The New Brunswick Seniors Federation says cutting back on the number of bus stops on major routes is putting seniors at risk because they may have to walk up to half a kilometre to the nearest stop.

Riverview area passengers have also complained the new routes are still lacking. Some were hoping to see a direct route between Riverview and Dieppe.

Codiac Transpo operates in Moncton, Riverview and Dieppe.