The Transport Act 1978 provides the following definition of community transport: community transport consists of local people providing transport for others in their neighbourhood on a voluntary basis; passengers may make payments, but these are only contributions to operating costs - there is no element of profit making or payment for labour. This paper reviews forms of volunteer transport, e.g lift-giving, social car schemes and community buses, before the setting up of the Rutex experiments. Details are given of the various forms of community transport tested in the 6 Rutex experiments: a community minibus and 5 car schemes involving private motorists one run by WRVS giving free lifts to people making essential journeys, and four with motorists taking payments for passengers - for which they were authorised under the passenger vehicles (experimental areas) act 1977. The systems were set up in Devon, Wales, Scotland and North Yorkshire. Their costs and revenues are quoted. For the covering abstract of the symposium see IRRD no 248815.
Abstract