NIAGARA FALLS, NY (WKBW) — BankOnBuffalo launched a mobile banking service, “BankOnWheels,” to provide complete banking services to several underserved communities in Western New York.
The President of BankOnBuffalo, Michael Noah, tells 7 News reporter Yoselin Person that BankOnBuffalo has taken the initiative to get the bank to more people and to be a better servant to the community.
“And this is how we’re able to come up on the BankOnWheels, which truly is a mobile bank when you see the BankOnWheels,” he says. “You can go to it and sit with one of our representatives. You can open up a checking account, and you can make a mortgage payment, you can apply for home equity, you can cash your check.”
Many will see the mobile truck in three locations in Western New York beginning this week, including at the Doris Jones Family Resource Center in Niagara Falls.
“BankOnBuffalo offers this opportunity what it does is it brings banking to where people are,” says Mayor Robert Restaino of the City of Niagara Falls. “And the ability for BankOnBuffalo to move throughout the community will be valuable to so many of our residents who have transportation challenges.”
There are more perks to come with this new opportunity.
“The other thing that we plan to focus on is to have home ownership capabilities also making the unbanked bankable again,” says Darnell Haywood of Community Responsibility Officer at BankOnBuffalo. “As well as future business owners, so whenever you step on BankOnWheels, feel free to speak to us here every Monday from nine to one.”
According to the Buffalo Business First, the number of bank branches in Western New York has shrunk steadily in recent years, following a national trend declining by 26 percent from 2007 to this year.
At this BankOnWheels, customers can also apply for loan applications.
“It’s so exciting, and I’m so proud to be here to help more people and deliver the great services and products that we have,” says Annette Tomlin, Manager of the Niagara Regional Branch at BankOnBuffalo.
Details below about BankOnWheels:
• Renovation Church at 567 Hertel Ave. in Buffalo.
• Peter Machnica Community Center at 1799 Clinton St. in Buffalo.
• Doris Jones Community Resource Center at 3001 Ninth St. in Niagara Falls.