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Lismore City Council News

Lismore City Council offers a range of online news services including the latest Lismore City Council news items which are published below. Also, 'Lismore City News' is published online each week as a summary of Council news, events and issues including public exhibition items, Council meetings and related information. You can also subscribe to have one or both of these online news services delivered directly into your inbox via our eNews subscription page.

Project a driving force for Indigenous community transport

Tuesday, July 03 2012

Lismore City Council and ACE Community Colleges signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) this week for a new project, Getting About, which will enable 10 local Aboriginal people to get their bus licence and around 20 learner drivers to progress to P plates.

The Getting About project is funded by Transport for NSW, auspiced by Lismore City Council and will be delivered over the next 12 months by ACE, which has won recognition for providing the best Aboriginal driver training in NSW.

ACE will host a series of information days to find suitable candidates who would like to get their LR (light rigid) or MR (medium rigid) licence so they can drive community buses to sporting or community events, funerals, or other gatherings.

The information days will be held in Lismore, Ballina, Box Ridge, Muli Muli, Casino, Kyogle and Cabbage Tree Island.

“We’re putting the onus on communities to select people as drivers,” explained Jan Levy, ACE Community College’s Outreach Program Manager.

“By having Aboriginal bus drivers who can provide transport in their own communities, people will be able to get to and from events safely. It will help keep people out of court for minor misdemeanours plus a bus licence can also be a pathway to employment.

“This is about sustainable capacity building – if you have a car licence you’re there for your family; if you have a bus licence you’re there for your whole community.”

As part of the project, ACE will also develop a user-friendly driving manual that can be accessed via smartphones.

“There is a recognised need that these communities require driving training for young people and more bus drivers – we hear it time and time again – so this project is really something worth celebrating,” added Jan. “We were absolutely cheering when we found out we’d been successful for funding. This has the potential to have a real impact in Indigenous communities.”

For more information on the project or upcoming information days, phone Jan Levy at ACE on 6621 6777 or 0429 423 116.