Street Rider under threat

Posted on 25 Jun 2013

Please note: this is an old article

It was published in June 2013, so the information may be out-of-date.

A bus service providing safe transport home for people in Shepparton on a Saturday night is at risk of closing if further sponsorship is not secured.

Greater Shepparton City Council has put out a plea for local businesses support to assist the continuation of this important service which runs from 1am to 5am on Sunday mornings and drops passengers at Shepparton, Kialla and Mooroopna. Operations are funded by sponsors, some of whom have recently pulled out, placing the service at risk of closing.

“This service means that patrons can get home safely from late night venues,” said Mayor of Greater Shepparton City Council, Cr Jenny Houlihan. “It helps reduce antisocial behaviour and drink driving, and generally makes our CBD a safer place for people to enjoy a Saturday night out. It’s good for the community and it’s good for business.”

The Street Rider Night Bus is coordinated by a partnership between Greater Shepparton City Council and Victoria Police. Patrons can call or text the service for assistance in locating the four bus stops within the CBD and pick up times, and are dropped home safely, for a gold coin donation.

While Council and Victoria Police coordinate the service, it relies heavily on volunteers and the support of sponsors.

“Community Accessibility donate the use of the bus and cover the cost of some of the fuel, and the bus is driven by volunteers,” Cr Houlihan said. “The GV Hotel, Yahoo Bar, Bullion Bar and Vic Hotel all sponsor the provision of a licensed security guard to ride on the bus.”

Cr Houlihan said that businesses who wanted to support the service had a range of sponsorship options that included purchasing fuel cards for the program, contributing to the cost of employing the security guard, contributing to the promotion of the service through advertising, purchasing volunteer t-shirts and caps, or just a general donation. Sponsors would get the benefit of being recognised on the Street Rider poster or other merchandise, depending on the scale of the contribution.

Patrons can utilise the bus service between the hours of 1am and 5am Sunday mornings, and  be picked up from the front of Harris Scarfe in Wyndham Street, the Yahoo Bar, the Aussie Hotel and Goulburn Valley Hotel, and are dropped off safely, for the a gold coin donation.

Businesses which want to find out more about supporting this important community service can call the Community Safety Officer at Greater Shepparton City Council on
(03) 5832 9792 or Sergeant Thelma Bull at the Shepparton Police Station on 5820 5777.