Codiac Transpo buses have been back on the road since December, following a five-month lockout. (CBC)

A Riverview woman says Codiac Transpo is cheating her out of the free rides being offered until the end of January.

Denise Babineau says she hasn't been able to take full advantage of the offer because her bus was one of the last to be added to the company's new schedule.

"I am upset, I am really upset at that because I feel I am getting ripped off," said Babineau, whose bus only started running last week.

Since her bus was late getting back on the road, Babineau can ride to work for free until late February. But starting Friday, she'll have to pay to get back home.

"So in my mind, I am not getting a free service, I am only getting half of a free service and that's not fair," she said.

Codiac Transpo officials were unavailable for comment on Wednesday.

But the company will begin charging full fare on most routes on Friday, according to its website.

Passengers whose routes started up late can ride for free only if they start their travels on one of those routes, it states.

Babineau notes many other passengers have been riding for free since December, when Codiac Transpo launched some of its revamped routes following a five-month-long lockout.

She says she had to ask her employer to change her shift to accommodate the new bus schedule. The least Codiac Transpo can do is come good on its promise for a free ride, she said.

"They should either provide us, all of the people that were affected, with either a punch pass for like 20 rides or a free month — give us a monthly pass," she said.

Codiac Transpo had offered to waive fares until Jan. 31 as a way to get people back on the buses and to boost the public`s confidence in the transit system following the lengthy lockout.

Codiac Transpo operates in Moncton, Riverview and Dieppe.