Mark and Natalie Cook receive bigger bus for growing number of students outside Moree

They had previously had a 13-seat bus but at the beginning of last year they knew that bus wasn’t going to continue being big enough.

They applied to Transport NSW for a bigger bus but were denied, and it wasn’t until Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall stepped in to help that it became a reality.

“After we’d been shut down we went to Adam’s office and set up an appointment and took over all of our very clear information of what was needed and what we could service and what we couldn’t and from there he just took over for us,” Mrs Cook said.

Mrs Cook said that the families that are on the bus run played a big role in acquiring the bus as well.

“They all wrote very supportive letters and explained what it would’ve meant for them if they couldn’t have the bus service for their children.”

READ ALSO: 

It was tough going for the pair as they were forced to make two trips a day for a month as the old bus wasn’t big enough.

“I was doing it anyway (two trips), I wasn’t going to leave the kids there,” Mr Cook said.

Mrs Cook believed it shouldn’t have been such a difficult task to get the new bus in the first place. 

“For them (Transport NSW), obviously they’ve got budgets they have to keep but they’ve got to understand that country kids don’t get a footpath to walk home to,” she said.

“It’s dangerous out there and they need to be able to rely on a safe way home. I think it’s not too much to ask.”

“We thought it was common sense,” Mr Cook added.

For all the difficulties, the pair are thrilled with how it has all ended up and are grateful to Mr Marshall for all his help.

“The outcome has been fantastic, we couldn’t ask for a better outcome,” Mrs Cook said.

“We wouldn’t have been able to get it without Adam. That’s basically it.”