Pakenham bus operator helps the elderly get to the supermarket amid coronavirus panic

A selfless Melbourne bus operator has made a generous offer to help the elderly as coronavirus panic grips the world.

Operator of Pakenham bus company Tour Local, Ray Steindl, has posted an offer to drive the elderly and disabled to dedicated supermarket shopping hours on Facebook and has received an overwhelming response.

Next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Mr Steindl will pick up elderly and disabled people from the Pakenham area and take them to Coles supermarkets for elderly and disabled only shopping hours.

Mr Steindl said it was an employee who came up with the idea.

“One of our casual employees also works at Coles part-time and has seen first hand the effect of all this happening,” he told Neil Mitchell.

“She just threw it out there … and said ‘we should just drive around and pick the seniors up in the morning and take them to Coles.’

“We’ve got three small to mid-sized buses here that are, due to the current climate, sitting empty at the moment so we thought we’d put them to good use.”

Bus drivers have also reached out to offer their services to the initiative.

“We’ve had drivers that are either not working or have got time on their hands just saying ‘Look, if you need a hand driving a bus I can offer my assistance’,” Mr Steindl said.

The bus service will collect seniors and disabled people before 7am and depart supermarkets at 8am.

The service will visit Lakeside Coles on Tuesday, Heritage Springs Coles on Wednesday, and Cardinia Lakes Coles on Thursday.

To book for the free bus service contact Tour Local on 5941 8800 or via tourlocal.com.au.

Press PLAY below for more.

Image: Tour Local