Commuters wanting a bus ride between Gore and Mataura may be able to dial up a ride, one option suggests, while volunteers may be needed to help make the proposed service financially viable.
A feasibility study into creating a regular bus link between the two towns was tabled at the recent Mataura Community Board meeting and showed there would be savings of tens of thousands of dollars if volunteers, rather than commercial operators, provided the service.
The study's author and public transport consultant, Russell Turnbull, suggested a mixture of a fixed-route timetable and a door-to-door service might be the best option for both communities.
This "hybrid" model could operate from the Alliance freezing works in Mataura and have regular journeys between Mataura and Gore, while operating the "dial-a-ride" service between 10am and 2pm.
"This would allow the time-tabled commuter service to not operate in the off-season for Alliance, thereby saving on funding without compromising the dial-a-ride, which would need to operate through the whole year," Mr Turnbull said.
The simplest way to provide the bus service would be to contract a professional transport firm but that would be much more expensive than using volunteers.
Mr Turnbull said a fixed timetable and route from the freezing works would send positive signals to users but it could fail those who were frail, unwell or had mobility problems getting to the bus.
That was where the dial-a-ride option could help, by taking users directly to their destination and home again.
The report is yet to be considered and debated by the Gore District Council.
