About Us
Learn more about Matamata Health Shuttle and our mission
Our Mission – Serving Our Community
The Matamata Community Health Shuttle Trust was formed in October 2007 to provide transport to people attending Health Services away from Matamata.
Put simply, the Matamata Community Health Shuttle’s mission is to provide the community’s residents with an efficient, caring weekday shuttle bus service to and from hospitals and clinics, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity.
Pictured: Welcome Support – The Matamata Community Health Shuttle Trust was thrilled to receive this generous donation from Matamata New World as a result of its community support programme
Pictured: Founder and current MCHST chair Garry Stanley, right, with, from left, part-time administrator Jan Dench and fellow trustees Sandra Hunter, Dave Johnson, David Lee and Des Hammond.
How Matamata Community Shuttle Started
It was always going to be a popular service but no-one anticipated just how fast the Matamata Community Health Shuttle would take off. In just over 18 years, the Matamata Health Shuttles have transported a staggering 45,000+ passengers to medical appointments in Hamilton and further afield. As most travel to and from their appointments, that is 90,000 passenger trips.
Many passengers comment that “It is an absolutely fantastic service. “They are always so helpful and try to make the experience as stress-free and pleasant as possible.” The idea was initially conceived in 2006, after groups such as the RSA were running low on resources to transport their own members.
Matamata Community Health Shuttle Trust chairman Garry Stanley said it made sense to run one service for all Matamata residents. “We were originally told that 7000 people a year go to Waikato Hospital from the whole Matamata area,” he said. “We thought that if we got 10 per cent of the passengers then that’s 700 a year, but we have over four times that now.”
The service started out with a single 12-seater shuttle and a committed team of drivers and support volunteers. Today, there are two 12-seater shuttles, a seven-seater van and car that are capable of transporting 27 people a day. Over 40 volunteers keep the service running and each group of passengers has a support person available to help them find appointments.
“We have a tremendous bunch of volunteers who are totally committed to providing a positive experience,” Mr Stanley said.
“It’s absolutely fantastic.
“When we have our monthly meetings, they are all queuing up to go on the roster.”
It is a door-to-door service, with passengers picked up from their homes (if urban) or Railside, Hetana Street and taken right to the ward or clinic they are visiting. As well as Waikato Hospital, the shuttle also makes trips to Thames, Tauranga, Tokoroa, Cambridge and Rotorua when needed. The service is funded by passenger donations (optional) and the support of other local organisations.
“It has been a huge success,” Mr Stanley said.
“It’s been an absolute pleasure to be involved with something that’s gone so well.”
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