We have employed a part time evening driver to run 3 services with one minibus, we feel that this allows us to maximise the use of the minibus and driver’s time.

Youth services

In partnership with Community Education Mintlaw we have begun to provide transport for the local young people within the catchment area of Mintlaw academy. At present we run a bus on a circular route through the local villages 2 nights per week, by late spring 2004 we intend to increase to 3 nights and then incrementally to 5 by the end of 2004.
Community Education applied to Direct Grants for a grant to employ a passenger assistant for this service, which covers the first year of service and will establish the project’s viability. We felt that it was extremely important that there should be another responsible adult on the bus while we were transporting young vulnerable people at night.

The minibus will travel a pre-arranged route round the villages, collecting the young people and bringing them to the youth clubs in Mintlaw for 7pm. On arrival there the passenger assistant disembarks and goes into the youth clubs with the young people. The driver then continues with the other services, returning to collect the young people and the passenger assistant at approximately 9pm for the journey home.

APT

The evening driver transports dialysis patients home from Peterhead hospital 3 evenings per week, travelling up and back between the youth runs. This is the continuation of the dialysis runs as per above.

Library service

One evening per week we provide a door to door service for people who may have problems accessing Mintlaw library. Although not very busy this service is invaluable for the passengers it services since they are elderly and in one case registered blind. There is a small charge of 50p per trip and bookings are taken by Mintlaw library and given to the driver on the evening of the service.