A report to Council provided an evaluation of the trial which ends on 30 September 2026. The following day, 1 October, the new Go Bus public transport service between Dunedin and Ōamaru begins.
Cr Kevin Malcolm says the 2,500 voluntary hours the Ōamaru Community Shuttle Steering Group contributed to the trial is “a huge amount of dedication”.
“They recognised there is a critical community need and they’ve been driving a real solution.”
“The Waitaki community has driven the trial which has provided significant learnings that will be invaluable as ORC determines its strategy for community transport. What we’ve learned from the work these people have done has been exceptionally valuable for ORC.”
Cr Malcolm said the trial had clearly demonstrated a need for a public transport service between Oamaru and Dunedin.
He noted the trial was funded by a rate ORC collected from the Waitaki community.
In its first seven months, the community shuttle completed 319 trips, travelling 28,646 km to either connect with Orbus in Palmerston or travel directly to Dunedin. The
evaluation presented to Council showed the shuttle is improving accessibility and enabling access to appointments and trips that may have otherwise not happened.
after speaking about the Ōamaru community transport trial at a Council meeting.
“It demonstrated how community transport is more than just transport: it is vital to reduce social isolation, increase access to essential services, community participation and social opportunities and strengthen community connections,” the Council report says.
“Twenty five percent of people using the service would not have made the trip at all, indicating the service is enabling trips and improving accessibility and participation.”
