The forced closure of a regional nightrider bus could spell disaster for a regional town's road safety and local economy.

Imagine you are out at the pub or at a bar and there was no public transport, taxis or Uber to get you home.

Residents of Gulgong in central west New South Wales who are looking to get home safely after a night of drinking have only one option: the Nightrider Community Bus.

For almost a decade the service has been financed by a handful of local pubs, hotels and motels, in addition to sponsorship from businesses in town.

After Gulgong's Centennial Hotel recently pulled their support, the bus will end service at the end of October.

Gulgong Liquor Accord president, Rowena Ellis, said the funding hole will impact the entire town.

"The whole community's going to be affected by it — by this bus stopping," Ms Ellis said.

What began as a remedy for drink driving has now become the backbone of the community's transport, with everyone including pub patrons, families and the elderly using the service.

Prior to the bus beginning, Ms Ellis said drink driving in Gulgong was getting out of hand.

"We had a really high level of DUI," she said.

"[There was] a high level of accidents related to alcohol and high levels of antisocial behaviour."

Ms Ellis, who also owns Gulgong's Prince of Wales Hotel, said the bus's closure would cause drivers to take risks on the road.

Country NSW accounts for 77 per cent of the state's road fatalities, according to a 2017 report by the NSW Government.

More than a 'booze bus'

Despite impending closure, it is business as usual for bus driver Alex Lauder.

After over five years behind the wheel Mr Lauder said Gulgong's roads would not be safe without the Nightrider, and recalls the reckless driving of locals before the service started.

"There'd be a big risk," Mr Lauder said.

"When I first started doing it, there was a lot of people drink driving.

"Since I've been doing this, no one's been injured from an accident from DUI or killed in the area."

The Nightrider bus provides safe transport to a significant number of Gulgong residents. ( ABC Central West: Donal Sheil )

In addition to using the bus to travel to the pub, Mr Lauder said many passengers use the service for running errands in town.

"We get a lot of people using it for the shopping, going home, people just going from house to house, people coming into town for parties; everyone uses the bus," he said.

Gulgong's population barely exceeded 2,500 at the 2016 census, yet since January 2018 over 3,500 trips have been made on the service.

Providing a safe alternative

Gulgong local Damien Cheesewright and his family recently used the bus service to travel to a nearby barbeque.

Damien Cheesewright and his family use the Nightrider every week. ( ABC Central West: Donal Sheil )

Mr Cheesewright said the 11-seat bus had become essential for safely transporting himself, his wife and their three children.

"It's a long way to get from here up to town, and in the cold weather, you don't have to walk," he said.

Mr Cheesewright said the piece of mind the Nightrider provides is comforting when drinking at functions or venues.

Without the bus, Mr Cheesewright said the town would quickly revert to its old ways.

"People take risks, and it's not worth it. The other way is that people will drive," he said.

"Being a country town, that's the way it's always been over the years. [The Nightrider] is a lot safer and it's a great service and I don't know why it hasn't been getting funding."

Max Chapman, a 71-year-old man who lives a few kilometres out of Gulgong, said the bus is his only option for returning home after journeying into town.

"Thursday is my pay day, and [nurses] give me a lift up into town to the hospital, and I get the Nightrider home when I do my shopping," Mr Chapman said.

"The bus keeps people from drinking and driving. That saves a lot of lives."

Max Chapman, 71, uses the Nightrider bus for everyday travel to and from Gulgong. ( ABC Central West: Donal Sheil )

Driving the economy

Colleen Bailey is a showground caretaker and said the bus provides a safe way into town for passing travellers staying on Gulgong's outskirts.

"I have a lot of vans come in that stay hitched-up because they're in overnight, but they're looking for somewhere to go up the street [to] have a meal," Ms Bailey said.

She said the economic benefits that the Nightrider provide are too valuable to lose.

The Nightrider facilitates Gulgong's small but invaluable tourism market. ( ABC Central West: Donal Sheil )

"It's taking money to the town, and without the Nightrider being here that all stops because they won't unhitch to go up town," she said.

"To shut it down would be devastating."

