School Bus Services

School Bus Services (SBS) is responsible for providing eligible rural students and students with special needs, free transport assistance to and from school on contracted 'Orange' school buses. These services are critical to enable students to attend school regularly.

When a contract school bus service is not available for an eligible student, SBS may assist the student's family by providing a conveyance allowance as a contribution towards the costs of transporting their child to and from school.

SBS policy requires a student to be on the bus for no longer than 90 minutes. There are, however, situations where the geographic location of a student's residence in relation to their school is such that a journey of 90 minutes or less is not possible. In such cases, when travel by a contract school bus is not feasible an eligible student would normally be entitled to a Conveyance Allowance.

Parents/carers of children attending Education Support Facilities should:

• Work with the education support facility and the contractor or driver to implement a consistent student behaviour management strategy which is in accordance with the Code of Conduct;
• Ensure that their child is ready for collection at a reasonable time prior to the arranged pick-up time in the morning - this not only allows for fluctuations in arrival times, but allows for the fact that route schedules are carefully planned and timed and drivers cannot delay for too long if a student is late;
• Deliver or arrange for the delivery of their child to the driver or bus aide.
• Ensure that a responsible person is at the drop-off point before the afternoon drop-off time;
• Inform the driver of any alteration to transport requirements on both a daily and on-going basis (e.g.sickness, respite).
• Complete any forms required by the education support facility, contractor or SBS.
• Notify the Education Support Facility or contractor/driver of any changes to information, and
• Complete and submit a new application for transport assistance if the student changes their usual residence.
• Keep a current listing of the contact details of the driver, education support facility and respite care facilities.
• Inform the driver of anything that may impact on the safe transport of the student (e.g. change in legal status of parent/carer, restraining orders, custody orders).

To be considered for Transport Assistance, a parent/carer of the student must complete an application for Transport Assistance. SBS may require clarification and/or additional information before Transport Assistance is assessed.

The application process may take up to 10 working days to complete.

Parents/Carers should be aware that delays in processing will occur:

• During peak periods such as the commencement of the school year.
• If the student uses a wheelchair or requires special equipment to travel on a bus service, as an Occupational Therapist is required to prescribe an appropriate restraining device.
• In rural areas, if a shire is required to approve a road for use or create a bus stop/turnaround point

Please note that for the protection of confidential and personal information contained in the online application process, it will not be possible for a parent/carer to partially save an application form, the application form must be completed in one session.

Prior to commencing the application process for Transport Assistance, SBS recommends that you have the following information available:

• Your details including date of birth, telephone, fax and email address
• The student's details including date of birth and year of study
• Name of the school that the student will be attending
• Details regarding and medical conditions, allergies, or disabilities that affect the student
• If applicable, details of the student's wheelchair, including make, model and the combined weight of the chair and the student
• The number of days the student will be travelling to school
• The shortest practical distance in kilometres, from your home address to the student's school

Applicable to ALL Education Support students with a medical condition.

The name, address and contact details of at least two people that are able to care for the student on the rare occasions when you are not home when the bus drops off the student. Where possible these emergency contacts should be in close proximity to the address where the student is dropped off and with someone that is likely to be at home in the afternoon.

 

Click here to apply for Transport Assistance online.