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University to trial free Noosa bus services
The University of the Sunshine Coast is about to trial free bus services for its Noosa students and staff.
Starting Monday 25 July, the University will charter buses to provide express trips between The J at Noosa Junction and its Sippy Downs campus on weekdays.
Each one-way trip is expected to take 55 minutes, effectively halving the amount of time it currently takes to travel by bus between Noosa and Sippy Downs via Maroochydore.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Hill said the University wanted to help make the use of public transport a more viable option for staff and students from Noosa.
“We hope this trial will show that there is strong support for a permanent express service to be provided between Noosa and USC,” he said.
“We have about 1,000 students and 40 staff who live in the Noosa area, so this free express shuttle trial is likely to have plenty of appeal.
“After surveying our staff and students on their transport needs, we expect about 100 people initially to be boarding the express shuttle services each day.”
The special University shuttle service will run until late November and will be available only for those with USC identification cards.
There will be four services leaving The J at Noosa Junction each weekday at 6.50am, 10.50am, 3.50pm and 6.05pm. The first three services will have one stop at the Noosa Civic Shopping Centre.
Return buses to Noosa Junction will leave USC at 9.10am, 12.10pm, 5.10pm and 7.10pm.
Professor Hill said the trial also was another step in USC’s continued efforts to encourage less reliance on single-occupant car use.
— Terry Walsh