SOS Bus

Providing weekend night travel care for individuals in Belfast

“We can, all of us, only make things better for our families if we first make it better for each other.” — Joe Hyland, CEO SOS Bus

The SOS Bus, developed by Joe Hyland, is a multi-agency initiative supported by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the Northern Ireland Office, the NI Ambulance Service and the Fire Service, alongside commercial and private sector interests. The objective of the SOS Bus is to provide travel care for those who are out on weekend nights who may not be receiving the help they need. This includes those who are in emotional distress, are under the influence of drugs or drink, or are feeling vulnerable because of aggressive behaviour.

At the weekends, over 20,000 revellers are estimated to be on the streets of Belfast. Every Friday and Saturday, from 9PM through to 3 in the morning, the SOS Bus is in the city centre supporting people as they come out of the pubs and clubs of Belfast.

The bus has proven to be a great success. It has reduced the call for minor injuries in emergency departments, freeing them up to deal with higher category calls. Furthermore, the police service has noticed a reduction in violent crimes in the city, and the SOS Bus support for the “Get Home Safe” operation is providing further public reassurance.

The Board of directors for SOS Bus North Ireland holds the Deputy Chief Constable of the PSNI. He has also attended the FBI Academy and the Strategic Command Course. Working with the Community Safety Partnership, the availability and visibility of the SOS Bus is helping to reduce crime, tackle anti-social behaviour, and reduce the fear of crime. This success has encouraged other cities in the province to implement the scheme. SOS NI also SOS Bus is a non-judgemental safe space where our trained volunteers provide welfare support, first aid, mental health intervention and community safety. All volunteers are fully trained so they can effectively help clients. We help anyone who becomes vulnerable, including those who are:

​Victims of assault

Experiencing homelessness

In fear of violence or crime

In need of listening ear support

Victims of substance misuse

Injured or unwell

Lonely or isolated

Experiencing suicidal thoughts

Created 14th January 2013. Updated 2021

SOS Bus benefits from Attend membership, which includes comprehensive charity insurance cover. For more information, or to join, please click here.