Northern Rivers bus passengers will soon be able to use On Demand public transport with Nationals Parliamentary Secretary for Northern NSW Ben Franklin today announcing trial services will begin next month.

 The new services will be available from March 18, allowing customers to book their ride at a time and place most convenient for them.

 “On Demand public transport enables customers to book a vehicle like a mini bus via phone, online or app, to pick you up from home or a convenient nearby location, and take you to a local transport hub or point of interest,” Mr Franklin said.

 “This is public transport at a time that suits you, arriving where and when people need them so they can manage their own time without being over-reliant on their car.”

 The new Northern Rivers transport service will use two Buslines mini buses to link residents of Alstonville, Wollongbar and Chilcotts Grass and Goonellabah to transport hubs that connect through to existing route services to Lismore or Ballina.

Services will operate, Monday – Friday: 6:30am – 6:30pm. And then Saturday services will operate as follows:

Goonellabah 7:30am – 1:30pm

Alstonville:  9:00am – 2:00pm

Customers can expect to pay a standard fare starting from $2.30 and the existing Regional Excursion Daily (RED) tickets for seniors and pensioners will be accepted.

 The aim of the NSW Government’s On Demand Transport Pilot Program is to test and learn through the delivery of new and creative transport services.

 The uptake of on demand services in trials across the state is one of the fastest in the world.

 The NSW On Demand program is recognised as one of the most geographically unique with next month’s trial making the diversity of services on offer internationally one of a kind.