Busways has launched a new on-demand bus service connecting certain parts of Western Sydney to the new Sydney Metro. This new service is in addition to the services running for Mid-North Coast residents, giving them the option for on-demand public transport since January as part of Transport for NSW and NSW Government’s Rural & Regional On Demand Public Transport pilot program.
The on-demand service works kind of like Uber – residents in these areas can use an app to book a bus pickup from their doorstop to take them to nearby transport interchanges or town centres, and back later in the day. A similar service has been running in Sydney’s Manly area in recent months.
For users on the Mid-North Coast, five new routes were initially added:
- Coramba, Karangi, Upper Orara with Coffs Harbour
- Bonville, Crossmaglen with Coffs Harbour
- Aldavilla, Yarravel with Kempsey
- Upper Rollands Plains, Telegraph Point with Port Macquarie
- Thrumster with Port Macquarie
However, as this was a user-driven trial, the demand on three routes wasn’t sufficient to justify the ongoing service, and so now the Coramba and Upper Rollands Plains services continue, and have been extended to run five days a week.
Fares for the trial on the mid north coast are as follows:
The new route in Western Sydney gives residents on-demand bus transport from their home to Rouse Hill, Tallawong or Schofields Stations. The fares for this limited service are as follows:
If you’re in these service areas, you can download the Cooee Busways on-demand app for the Ponds trial from both Google Play and the App Store (iOS) for free, while bookings for the trial in the Mid-North Coast are available only through the Cooee Busways website. Services can also be booked by phone, by calling 1300 696 929.
