South Gippsland Transport Connections combined with the Regional Gippsland Transport Connections Network, have successfully obtained a Victorian Government grant to develop a web-based ‘Car Pool and Ride Share’ portal.
The six Gippsland councils participating in the Transport Connections Network have joined forces to promote the innovative ‘Gippy Ride Share’ program as an alternative transport option for regional and rural communities.
Once registered with the program, individual members can construct the trip they would like to undertake by entering data into the fields provided on the website. Journeys can be constructed in a variety of ways, including travel that occurs every day at the same time, occurs every day at selected times, occurs only on some days, or for one-way journeys or once-off journeys.
Ride sharers are also encouraged to meet and chat prior to organising their journeys, diminishing the sense of ‘stranger danger’ and providing the potential for making new connections within the community.
Mayor of Baw Baw Shire Council, Councillor Murray Cook, said that the ride share portal was a great initiative, both socially and environmentally.
“We have a very car-oriented society,” said Cr Cook. “And, for many people this is very limiting.
“In an ideal world public transport would provide connections for every person in our communities, but that simply isn’t financially viable. This program may just be the missing link — a service that is peer-to-peer, that is private but with a public purview.”
