Terry Doolan couldn’t be happier with his new job helping frail-aged and disabled Aboriginal people travel from remote communities to vital appointments and community events in Broken Hill, regional NSW.

His new employer, Far West Home and Community Care Service (HACC), saw the need for bus services linking remote communities with Broken Hill. This service allows residents to attend medical appointments, community activities and shop for goods unavailable in their local stores.

Terry, from Menindee, has been employed as the bus driver on the newly created Menindee-Broken Hill daily bus service.

Terry was trained and licensed through funding from the Australian Government, administered by the Murdi Paaki Regional Enterprise Corporation (MPREC), and Terry is excited about his role helping his community.

“I love my job,” Terry said.

“This is a new and important service helping elders in my community and I’m grateful to MPREC for assisting with uniforms and paying for police checks, licenses and log books – everything needed to actually come in and get the job.”

Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to do what I do today,” Terry said.

HACC offers bus services, including a wheel chair lift, for disabled persons, their carers and the frail-aged as well as passengers who need to visit their loved ones in residential care. Terry is very happy to be helping his relatives and other community members gain a degree of independence and confidence they had previously not enjoyed.

“I’d highly encourage other Indigenous people to become bus drivers, or ambulance transport officers, helping people in your community. It can be very satisfying to know you have helped elders or people with disability in your community to become more independent,” Terry said.

Terry is now involved in setting up a bus driver training programme in the region to help other remote communities.