A new operator reportedly planning on providing some competition for the courtesy bus at a local RSL has unfortunately failed on its first attempt. And the failure was on multiple fronts, with the new service failing to safely secure its passengers, not providing coverage from the elements, and the driver allegedly recording a blood alcohol reading above the legal limit.
Despite attracting an impressive number of passengers on its first day in operation, the new service is believed to have hit trouble within hours of its launch. According to one local witness, “They were going gangbusters on their first day. Heaps of passengers were just climbing aboard, and everyone looked like they were having fun.”
However, any fun being had on the new service seems to have been short lived, as the vehicle was intercepted by police in Montmorency where 18 men were counted onboard the five-seater ute. Naturally, authorities were unimpressed by the crude attempt at ride sharing, and it remains unclear whether the new service will continue to run in direct competition with the Diamond Valley’s extensive network of RSL courtesy buses.
The Watsonia Bugle 