The wheels on City of Coffs Harbour Council’s free bus travel trial will go round for the next three weeks, with the local community encouraged to make the most of the remaining free transport on Fridays and weekends.
Council is also inviting people to share their experience of bus travel during the free fare period via a new survey.
“This trial is giving the community an opportunity to experience the convenience and benefits of public transportation free of charge. With three weeks to go, now’s the time to jump on a free bus if you haven’t already given it a go,” said Mayor, Paul Amos.
The initiative, being driven by the Council, Busways, and Forest Coach Lines/CDC NSW, aims to give people a taste test of using public transport and help to ease social isolation by connecting people with places.
“I’ve heard from people in the community who have been surprised how easy it is to catch a bus – including some who probably haven’t been on a bus since their school days,” Mayor Amos said.
“We hope people’s habits may have changed after they’ve discovered how easy it is to get around on public transport.”
The opportunity to hop aboard at no charge is available exclusively on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays until the trial ends on 14 July. It includes buses within Coffs Harbour and to-and-from neighbouring Local Government Areas (as far as Grafton in the north, Bellingen in the west, and Macksville in the south).