BUS SAFETY NEWS in THIS Summer EDITION
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Frequently asked questions Page 6 number plates For accredited bus operators Summer 2014, issue 27 Page 11 preparing For the bushFire season Page 14 We value your future editionS feedback of bSn We endeavour to provide you with the We hope you enjoy this edition of BSN. most recent and topical industry news If you wish to receive a copy of the and explain how we are exercising our newsletter by email, please contact us via regulatory responsibilities. [email protected] If you have any feedback on this with your preferred email address. publication or have an article idea for If you do not have access to email or future editions, please send an email to internet but would like to receive BSN, [email protected] please contact us. or phone us on 1800 223 022. 2 >> buS Safety neWS in tHiS Summer EDITION From the Director 4 Summary oF compliance activitieS 5 Frequently aSkeD queStionS 6 Danger, Will robinSon! 8 number plateS For accreDiteD buS operatorS 11 Welcome onboarD! 12 School buS SaFety 13 BRAVO ZULU 14 preparing For the buShFire SeaSon 14 vicroads licence conDitionS 15 contacting uS Please note that our former telephone number 9655 8922 is no longer operational. It has been replaced by 1800 223 022. buS Safety neWS >> 3 from tHe director In the meantime the presentation of the Time is fast running out for deemed Welcome to the summer edition of bus workshop findings will take centre stage in accredited operators to get their the forums we are planning for a number accreditation in order and ensure the Safety news (bSn), which marks the of Victorian regional locations in 2014. continuation of their bus service past the start of a new year. Look out for more information on forum legislated deadline of 31 December 2015. locations and dates soon. In this edition of BSN we provide a list of On 22 January 2014 in Melbourne we deemed accredited bus operators who hosted our first public bus safety forum In this edition we introduce our two are yet to submit their application for for the year which was well attended by new Bus Safety Compliance Officers – accreditation under the Bus Safety Act all sectors of Victoria’s bus industry. The Chris Finnerty and Eve Caracciolo. Many 2009 (Vic) (BSA). Prior to Christmas we forum provided an opportunity for industry readers may have liaised with Eve as part alerted all deemed accredited bus operators participants to raise any concerns and of our Bus Accreditation and Registration to our new video aimed at encouraging queries regarding bus safety directly with team. Chris, meanwhile, joins us from the these operators to make progress with TSV’s senior bus safety management team. Taxi Services Commission. their accreditation application. This video The event was also an ideal setting for As the new school year starts it is timely is available for viewing on TSV’s website reporting the outcomes of a recent TSV to devote some attention to the range of http://www.transportsafety.vic.gov.au/bus- / industry workshop which analysed and safety risks bus operators and bus safety safety/bus-operators/accreditation coded all the factors that contributed to the workers need to manage when transporting tragic Texas bus fire in 2005 in which 23 children to and from school. A list of risks To assist operators and others to better passengers lost their lives. This workshop associated with operating a school bus understand bus operator accreditation and provided valuable lessons for managing the service and suggested treatments are registration matters, this edition further risk of fires in all types of bus services. A highlighted in the “School bus safety” expands on these matters in BSN’s popular report on the workshop and its findings will article in this edition. ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ section. be featured in a future edition of BSN. Although Victoria’s summer has Lastly, in our Bravo Zulu section of this been somewhat tardy in arriving, all edition of BSN we take the opportunity to indications are that we can expect hot dry congratulate Transdev Melbourne, a recent temperatures in late January and through entrant to Victoria’s bus industry, on its bus to March. These conditions will raise the safety investigation efforts. bushfire risk in regional areas. In the article I hope you enjoy the above mentioned “Preparing for the bushfire season” we stories, and many more, in this latest look at issues that bus operators need to edition of BSN. consider when operating their bus services in areas threatened with bushfires. STEPHEN TURNER Director, Bus Safety 4 >> buS Safety neWS Summary of compliance activitieS bus operator - accredited bus registered bus an important contribution to our matter not accredited total operator operator understanding of bus safety in victoria or registered is provided by the outcomes of tSv’s annual bus safety compliance program. number of buses inspected 99 44 7 150 Each year TSV’s Transport Safety Officers conduct a number of activities no fire extinguisher 48 17 3 68 to check compliance with the BSA, Bus Safety Regulations 2010 (Vic) (BSR) and other applicable legislation that relates to no emergency 17 n/a n/a 17 buses and drivers of buses. Often, these management plan compliance activities are undertaken jointly with other agencies such as the no pre-trip inspections Taxi Services Commission, Victoria Police, 14 n/a n/a 14 conducted Park Victoria and VicRoads. TSV has conducted 150 bus inspections no carrying 28 n/a n/a 28 already in 2013-14, which have identified capacity signage a number of issues which require improvement. The table opposite shows the outcomes defective tyres 2 1 nil 3 of the compliance activities conducted between 1 July – 8 November 2013 and the no drivers licence / non-compliance issues identified. 5 1 1 7 driver accreditation Where non-compliance is found, bus operators and bus safety workers may be subject image above: a tSv bus Safety compliance officer at a recent compliance operation at twelve apostles, port to enforcement action that ranges from fines and defect notices to improvement and campbell national park. prohibition notices. buS Safety neWS >> 5 frequently aSked queStionS tSv regularly receiveS enquirieS from StakeHolderS about tHe requirementS of tHe bSa and tHe bSr. Here are our reSponSeS to Some recent queStionS. Question Question Question I am a driver for a community and private As an accredited bus operator providing a Where can I find a list of licenced bus bus service. Do I need to apply for driver commercial bus service, do my drivers need testers (LBTs)? accreditation? specific accreditation? Answer Answer Answer You can find a list of the LBTs on the No, the driver of a bus providing a Yes, an accredited bus operator of a VicRoads website www.roads.vic.gov.au community and private bus service does commercial bus service must not permit not require driver accreditation. a person to drive a bus for a commercial On the VicRoads “Safety & rules” webpage bus service unless that person holds a there is a link to “Licenced Vehicle Tester However, the operator of such a bus service locations”. Opening this link will provide a is required to ensure that the driver of the driver accreditation under Division 6 of Part VI of the Transport (Compliance and “Licenced Vehicle tester” by location (Town bus holds the appropriate driver licence for / Suburb). the category of motor vehicle that the bus is. Miscellaneous) Act 1983 (Vic). Please ensure when selecting the tester For a community and private bus service Commercial bus services are route bus services, demand responsive bus services, that they have the designation “LB” listed an “appropriate driver licence” for the against the “Categorie(s)” element of the category of motor vehicle means: tour and charter bus services and courtesy bus services wherein the bus used to licenced vehicle tester information. (a) a full driver licence for that category of provide the commercial bus service is built motor vehicle; or with seating positions for 13 or more adults (b) if the registered bus operator has (including the driver). been given approval under BSA Also of note – the requirement to hold a section 22(5A) to use drivers who driver accreditation also applies to the hold a probationary driver licence – a driver of a minibus providing a commercial probationary driver licence for that minibus service. A commercial minibus category of motor vehicle; or service is a route service, a demand (c) a driver licence issued in another responsive bus service or a tour and jurisdiction that is equivalent to charter bus service wherein the bus used in (a) or (b) above. the service is built with seating positions for 10, 11 or 12 adults (including the driver). 6 >> buS Safety neWS Question Question Question As an interstate operator, am I required I want to buy an eight seater vehicle to drop We are a social club and want to hire a to submit a National Police Certificate off and pick up customers from various minibus for a few months to use as a when applying for bus operator venues. Do I need to hold bus operator courtesy bus for our members and patrons. accreditation in Victoria? accreditation or bus operator registration? Do we still need to complete an application even though we don’t own this bus? Answer Answer Yes. Bus operators who submit a National You do not have to apply for bus operator Answer Police Certificate from a state other registration or accreditation to operate a Yes, as the operator of a community and than Victoria may be asked to supply a vehicle with seating capacity of less than 10 private bus service the club is required to statutory declaration stating that they seats (including the driver).