A northern Tasmania travel company has teamed up with its competitors to share transport costs as diesel prices threaten to force small operators out of business.
Wild Island Adventures owner Justin Goebel said fuel costs have almost doubled since he and partner Lorraine bought the hiking transport business in February last year.
The Perth-based company transports hikers to popular destinations including Freycinet, the Overland Track and Tasmania’s west coast.
They also hire out hiking and camping gear.
“With diesel prices going up, it’s almost doubling to what we were paying previously,” Goebel told Pulse.
“We realised it becomes quite challenging, not just for us, but for every Australian, every Tasmanian.”
Goebel and his drivers sometimes cover more than 1,000 kilometres in a single 12-hour shift.
He said filling three buses recently cost the business over $500.
“The fact that we’re little makes it a little bit more challenging,” he said.
Rather than watch his business and others around him struggle with the costs, Goebel has partnered with other operators to share passenger loads.
When multiple companies run buses to the same destination, they now combine bookings onto one vehicle and use a credit system for future trips.
“Instead of two or three buses running up to a specific location, let’s say one of us has got 10 passengers, then we’ll put those passengers onto one bus,” Goebel said.
He said the arrangement was currently saving his company about 40% on fuel costs.
He hopes the collaboration will inspire other Tasmanian businesses to work together during tough economic times.
“It would be good to see hopefully this is the start of the movement for more people in the state to work together,” he said.
The company also partners with local gear hire businesses to reduce costs when delivering hiking equipment to Hobart and Devonport.
