The organisation behind the proposed service is Community Link, with the charity surveying Upper Clutha residents to develop an understanding of the demand.
Community Link had previously run a trial community shuttle between Hāwea and Wānaka in 2022 and 2023, but the fuel crisis and its impact on families had created an immediate need for the service, manager Kate Murray said.
"What we have become aware of is that people are concerned about whether or not they have enough in their budgets to actually be able to afford the fuel to get to and from work each day."
The finer details of the service, such as where the stops would be, or what times it would run, would be informed by the survey responses.
But the organisation hoped the service could be running before winter set in.
"If feedback is strong and there is a definite need and willingness on behalf of the community to take up the opportunity, we’d be looking to get it up and running as soon as possible.
"We’re talking about weeks, not months," Ms Murray said.
The working premise was for the service to operate on weekdays, completing two journeys from Hāwea to Wānaka in the mornings and two journeys from Wānaka to Hāwea in the evenings.
Ms Murray said that the service would likely cost between $2 and $3.50 per trip.
In the rush to meet immediate need, Community Link had no corporate sponsor for the service and was not set to receive any government funding to support it, she said.
Last month the Otago Regional Council regrettably voted to reject a recommendation made by staff to establish a contestable fund to support community transport initiatives such as those being set up by Community Link, she said.
The new service was likely to bear a resemblance to the second phase of the community transport trial undertaken by Community Link in 2023, but with a focus on individuals commuting from Hāwea to Wānaka for work.
This phase of the trial included an "express service" consisting of two daily services from Hāwea to Wānaka and from Wānaka to Hāwea five days a week, enabling residents to commute to 9am-5pm jobs.
A report on the trial published by Community Link said while numbers were low in both phases of their trial, passenger numbers gradually increased over the three-month periods, with satisfaction among users very high.
Ms Murray said the aim was to run the shuttle for an initial six months, with the future of the service beyond then dependent on uptake and funding.
