Brock Fallon from Fallon’s Bus Group is preparing to launch a new community bus service for Yarrawonga Mulwala.
Yarrawonga’s new community bus will begin on October 1, offering affordable, flexible transport between Yarrawonga and Mulwala, with easy access for wheelchairs, walkers and mobility scooters.
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Operated by Fallon’s Bus Group, FlexiRide will be a bookable, bus-stop-to-bus-stop service linking 72 stops across the twin towns.
Passengers can travel to destinations including Yarrawonga District Hospital, nursing homes, retirement villages, the main shopping precinct and supermarkets near Bunnings.
For residents living with disability or reduced mobility, the arrival of a purpose-built, low-floor bus could be life-changing.
Unlike a conventional minibus with steps, the FlexiRide vehicle can be lowered close to the kerb. A ramp then folds down onto the gutter, creating only a very slight rise for passengers using wheelchairs, walkers and mobility scooters.
Inside, a flat floor and fold-up seating provide room for mobility equipment, with four dedicated wheelchair spaces available.
“The accessibility for disabled people with the vehicle that we’re putting on is a huge benefit.”
“The accessibility for disabled people with the vehicle that we’re putting on is a huge benefit,” Fallon’s Bus Group’s Brock Fallon said.
“We just fold the ramp out onto the kerb, lower the bus down, and they just go in flat.
“Service animals and guide dogs will also be permitted.”
For a community with a growing number of older residents, and many people who no longer drive, the service offers an affordable way to attend medical appointments, visit friends, go shopping and participate in community life without depending on a car or costly alternative transport.
FlexiRide will operate differently from a traditional town bus that continually travels along a fixed route.
Passengers will book a journey, ideally at least one hour ahead, between nominated bus stops in Yarrawonga and Mulwala.
The service does not provide door-to-door transport, so passengers should allow for its hourly operating cycle when planning their trip.
The bus will also attend the Orr Street interchange six times each day, on the hour, allowing passengers brought into the main street to make their return journey.
Concession passengers, including eligible pensioners and seniors, will pay 75 cents for a two-hour ticket or $1.50 for an all-day pass.
Full fares will be $1.50 for two hours or $3 for the entire day.
Passengers can pay aboard the bus using cash or tap-and-go EFTPOS.
The Victorian Department of Transport and Planning initiated the service, which Fallon’s Bus Group secured through a competitive tender.
It will begin as a three-year trial, with the potential to develop into a permanent town-service contract.
Its long-term future, however, will depend on the community getting on board.
Mr Fallon believes that providing a reliable service will be crucial to earning the community’s trust.
“As long as we provide the right service and are reliable, people will start using it more and more,” he said.
Fallon’s Bus Group will distribute timetables and information through nursing homes, aged-care facilities, retirement and lifestyle villages, the hospital, RSL, Ski Club and other community locations.
