Building community transport: Gippsland eBus pilot lessons

Join us for this webinar sharing practical insights from the Gippsland eBus pilot and exploring how community-led transport initiatives can be designed, delivered and sustained in regional and rural areas.

• Date: Tuesday 24 March 2026
• Time: 1:00pm – 2.30pm (AEDT)
• Register at: Building Community Transport – Lessons from the Gippsland eBus Pilot

Background

Drawing on hands-on experience from participating communities and research reflections from La Trobe University, this session will unpack what it takes to move from idea to operation, including compliance and risk, vehicle selection, funding and operating models, volunteer attraction and retention, day-to-day bookings and promotion, and planning for the long term.

The webinar will also examine the role of electric vehicles as an option for community transport. While community services can operate with a range of vehicle types, we will look at what communities need to consider when assessing whether an EV is suitable, including charging infrastructure, costs, range, geography and operational demands.

The session will conclude with reflections on how other communities and policymakers can build on the pilot, including key lessons and resources to support similar future initiatives elsewhere.

Program

• Introduction and context: Department of Transport and Planning
• Getting started: things to think about up front: Venus Bay Community Centre and Sandy Point Bus Management Committee
• Volunteer attraction and management: Venus Bay Community Centre and Sandy Point Bus Management Committee
• Day-to-day operations: Venus Bay Community Centre and Sandy Point Bus Management Committee
• What to know about electric vehicles: Venus Bay Community Centre and Sandy Point Bus Management Committee
• How can other communities build on this pilot: La Trobe University
• Final panel and Q&A: All speakers

Register for the webinar

Visit the Exploring the Building Community Transport – Lessons from the Gippsland eBus Pilot to register your attendance for the event. There’s a space on the form for you to ask a question to be answered in the Q&A session.

All that register will be emailed when the video of the event is ready, so register even if you can’t make the event on 24 March 2026.

Who should attend?

This webinar is of national relevance and is designed to inform:

• Local and state government transport representatives
• Policymakers
• Community transport organisations
• Community groups
• Transport planners and professionals working in regional and rural contexts

More information: Final report and toolkit

A wrap-up of the project, along with its final report and a downladable toolkit to help other communities run such a program, is available at: A community e-bus pilot program for regional Australia.

Webinar video

The webinar will be recorded, and the video will be embedded here soon after the webinar has been held.