Neighbourhood service purchases 'new' bus
The Peninsula Neighbourhood Service has purchased a new bus, after rule changes following the Singleton bus accident made the cost of registering their previous bus prohibitively expensive.
Service president Mr Ian Taylor said it was going to cost the voluntary non-profit organisation $11,000 to fit seat belts so the existing bus could be registered.
"The bus was getting old and it was less expensive to sell it for campervan conversion and to buy a more recent model secondhand."
He said the organisation bought its new bus from the Evergreen retirement village in West Gosford, which was in the process of upgrading its buses.
After the sale of the old bus, the replacement left the Neighbourhood Service $7000 out of pocket.
Signwriting showing a view to Lion Island on one side and an aerial view of The Bays on the other was sponsored by the Ettalong Community Bank, he said.
The Woy Woy Peninsula Lions Club contributed around $1000 a year to the running costs.
Mr Taylor said the bus was mainly used to take frail elderly Peninsula residents shopping in Woy Woy on Thursdays and to Erina on every second Wednesday at a small charge.
Residents of Ettalong Village were taken shopping on Fridays.
He said it was a requirement that those using the service were able to get on and off the bus without assistance, but volunteer hostesses and driver were available to help them on and off with their shopping.
Volunteers were also available for "medical transport" in private cars for a small fee, he said.
For further information, phone 4341 8837.
SOURCE:
Interview(Mark Snell), 14 Oct 2023
Ian Taylor, Peninsula Neighbourhood Service.