ABOUT DRIVEBUV
Practical engineering.
A heart for service.
DriveBUV is an initiative of the Institute for Affordable Transportation. We develop and support Basic Utility Vehicles to help rural communities move goods, serve local needs, and earn income.
OUR BEGINNING
A simple question started the work.
Could a vehicle be simple enough for rural work, affordable enough to matter, and useful enough to sustain itself? That question led Will Austin to develop the Basic Utility Vehicle.
His background spans mechanical engineering, business, and the automotive industry. Work in South America helped inspire the idea. In 2000, he began developing the BUV and founded the Institute for Affordable Transportation soon afterward.
Workshop experience, field learning, and local partnerships continue to shape the vehicle.
OUR PURPOSE
Put service into practical motion.
Faith and service
The founder’s vision is rooted in Christian ministry and a desire to help others. Useful transportation is one way to put that service into action.
Our outreach brings us into partnership with people and communities of different faiths and backgrounds.
Local opportunity
Income-producing vehicles are central to the vision: help local businesses support owners and families, cover vehicle costs, and create a path to growth.
Vehicles can also serve ministries and meet community needs, supported by an operating plan suited to the work.
WHAT GUIDES US
Faith. Integrity. Empowerment. Creativity.
Engineering should serve the people who use it. Local knowledge, responsible stewardship, practical repair, and listening to experience belong at the center of the work.
MOVE THE WORK FORWARD
Find your part in the work.
Give, offer your skills, or bring local knowledge to a partnership.