The City of Coffs Harbour has revealed when the pilot free bus trial will commence in the city.
The wheels are now in motion to establish Coffs Harbour’s free bus trial that’s designed to showcase public transport while easing social isolation in the region.
To be run by Busways and Forest Coach Lines, the trial will stretch from Macksville to Grafton and west to Bellingen.
The program will see free bus travel on existing services run on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for three months, starting on Friday April 19 and ending on Sunday July 14.
City of Coffs Harbour mayor Paul Amos drove the bus trial initiative, which was backed by council at its March 14 meeting and is believed to be an Australian-first.
“This is about connecting the community and building an awareness of how you can get around the local area by bus,” Amos says.
“Some in our community may not have used public transport for many years – let alone realise the places they can get to through our local operators in Forest Coach Lines and Busways.
“The free bus trial may prove especially valuable to older people who no longer or rarely drive, and to teenagers who rely on their parents to help them get around.”
The three-month trial will be for existing regular services outside of school runs, with the two operators to provide daily statistics on the service’s use at the end of the trial.