School Transport Assistance Scheme January 2021 5071_STAS Policy_Jan_2021_D.4.indd 1 20/1/21 3:01 pm Further information For more information, please contact your local TransLink Division office of the Department of Transport and Main Roads or go to www.translink.com.au/schooltransport. TransLink SEQ TransLink Southern TransLink Central Carseldine Toowoomba (Darling Downs) Mackay GPO Box 1412 PO Box 629 PO Box 62 Brisbane Qld 4001 Toowoomba Qld 4350 Mackay Qld 4740 Phone: 3863 9849 Phone: 4639 0727 Phone: 4951 8673 Fax: 3863 9812 Fax: 4639 0719 Fax: 4951 867 Email:[email protected] Email:[email protected] Email:[email protected] Ipswich Roma (South West) Rockhampton PO Box 630 PO Box 126 PO Box 5096 Booval Fair Qld 4304 Roma Qld 4455 Red Hill Phone: 3813 8613 Phone: 4622 9509 Rockhampton Qld 4701 Fax: 3813 8605 Fax: 4622 9533 Phone: 4931 1539 Email:[email protected] Email:[email protected] Fax: 4922 8253 Southport Email:[email protected] TransLink Sunshine Coast/Wide Bay PO Box 10420 TransLink Northern Southport BC Qld 4215 Maroochydore Phone: 5585 1857 PO Box 111 Cairns Fax: 5585 1858 Mooloolaba Qld 4557 PO Box 6542 Email:[email protected] Phone: 5452 1800 Cairns Qld 4870 Fax: 5452 1818 Phone: 4045 7085 Email:[email protected] Fax: 4045 7080 Maryborough (Wide Bay Burnett) Email:[email protected] PO Box 371 Townsville Maryborough Qld 4650 PO Box 7466 Phone: 4122 6115 Garbutt BC 4814 Fax: 4122 6150 Phone: 4758 7544 Email:[email protected] Fax: 4758 7511 Email:[email protected] © The State of Queensland (Department of Transport and Main Roads) 2020 revised dtmrSTAS 09 2020 http:creative commons.org/licences/by-nc-nd/2.5/au 2 The School Transport Assistance Scheme, Department of Transport and Main Roads – January 2021 5071_STAS Policy_Jan_2021_D.4.indd 2 20/1/21 3:01 pm Contents Part 1: Eligibility and assistance types 6 1.5 Applications for assistance 18 1.5.1 Distance based assistance 18 1.1 General conditions 6 1.5.2 Safety-net assistance 18 1.5.3 Safety-net assistance on Brisbane City Council 1.1.1 Approved school 6 (Transport for Brisbane) buses 18 1.1.2 Off-campus locations 6 1.5.4 Conveyance allowance 19 1.1.3 Programs approved by the Department of Education 6 1.5.5 Rail travel 19 1.1.4 Non-state schools 6 1.5.6 Assistance for isolated students 19 1.1.5 Guardianship 6 1.1.6 Address for eligibility and assistance 7 Part 2: Fares-based school bus service 1.1.7 Alternative addresses 7 1.1.8 Shortest trafficable route 7 20 1.1.9 Residency 7 1.1.10 Age of student 7 2.1 Introduction 20 1.1.11 Frequency of travel 7 1.1.12 Designated bus service 7 2.2 Conditions of operation 20 1.1.13 Types of bus services that qualify for STAS funding 7 2.2.1 Authority 20 1.1.14 Bus passes 7 2.2.1.1 Restrictions to authority 20 1.1.15 Code of conduct for school students 2.2.2 Instituting services in new areas 20 travelling on buses 8 2.2.3 Extensions to services or additional services 20 1.1.16 Change of circumstances 8 2.2.4 School closures 20 1.1.17 Withdrawal of assistance 8 2.2.5 Service provisions 21 1.1.18 New Schools 8 2.2.5.1 Bus operator responsibility 21 1.1.19 Distance Measurements 8 2.2.5.2 Vehicle breakdowns/other emergency circumstances – Use 1.2 Students who do not qualify for assistance under STAS 8 of Relief Vehicles 21 1.2.1 Pre-prep and kindergarten students 8 2.2.5.3 Adverse weather conditions 21 1.2.2 Work experience students 8 2.2.5.4 Road conditions 21 1.2.3 Mature age students 9 2.2.5.5 Change of school hours 21 1.2.4 Overseas, interstate and exchange students 9 2.2.6 Bus passes 21 1.2.5 TAFE students 9 1.2.6 Distance education students 9 2.3 Administrative arrangements 22 1.2.7 Students at centres of continuing secondary education 9 2.3.1 Verification reports for bus operators 22 1.2.8 Tertiary students 9 2.3.2 Verification reports for schools 22 1.3 Types of assistance available 9 2.3.3 Deletion notification form 23 2.3.4 Days that school services must operate 23 1.3.1 Bus transport assistance 9 2.3.5 Forms used in school transport 1.3.1.1 Distance based assistance 9 administration 23 1.3.1.2 Safety-net assistance 9 1.3.1.3 Other types of students 10 2.4 Standards 23 1.3.2 Conveyance allowance 10 2.4.1 Operators 23 1.3.2.1 Eligibility 11 2.4.2 Drivers 23 1.3.2.2 Types of conveyance allowance 11 2.4.3 Service 23 1.3.2.3 Payment of conveyance allowance 12 2.4.4 Vehicles 23 1.3.3 Rail travel 12 2.4.5 Operation 24 1.3.3.2 Students with a disability 13 2.4.6 Operational safety 24 1.3.4 Assistance for isolated students 13 2.4.7 Bus seating 24 1.3.4.1 Eligibility 13 2.4.8 Incident management plan 24 1.3.4.2 Types of assistance for isolated students 13 South East Queensland School Transport Zone 15 2.5 Part passes 24 2.5.1 Distance based assistance 24 1.4 Types of school bus services and their 2.5.2 Safety-net assistance 25 conditions of operation 16 2.6 Cash fares 27 1.4.1 Kilometre-based school bus services 16 1.4.1.1 Conditions of travel 16 2.7 Fare evasion 27 1.4.1.2 Safety-net assistance 16 1.4.1.3 Fare-paying passengers 17 2.8 Code of Conduct For School Students 1.4.1.4 Fares 17 Travelling on Buses 27 1.4.2 Fares-based school bus services 17 2.8.1 Surveillance equipment and CCTV on school buses 27 1.4.2.1 Conditions of travel 17 1.4.2.2 Safety-net assistance 17 1.4.2.3 Travel by escorts for students with a disability 18 1.4.2.4 Fares 18 3 The School Transport Assistance Scheme, Department of Transport and Main Roads – January 2021 5071_STAS Policy_Jan_2021_D.4.indd 3 20/1/21 3:01 pm Part 3: Kilometre-based school bus services Part 3: Kilometre-based school bus services 28 3.7 Administrative arrangements 35 3.7.1 Incident management plan 35 3.1 Introduction 28 3.7.2 Verification reports for bus operators 36 3.7.3 Verification reports for schools 36 3.2 Conditions of operation 28 3.7.4 Certification of exception report 36 3.2.1 Institution of a new service 28 3.7.5 Schools not operating on certain days 36 3.2.2 Base school 28 3.76 Payment procedures 36 3.2.3 Contract 28 3.7.7 Forms used in school transport administration 37 3.2.4 Bus route 28 3.7.8 Days that school services must operate 37 3.2.5 Extensions to a service 28 3.7.9 Change of school hours 37 3.2.5.1 Extensions to other than the nearest state school 29 3.2.5.2 Extensions for fare-paying passengers 29 3.8 Operational review 38 3.2.6 Deletion of part of service 29 3.8.1 Background 38 3.2.7 Review of service 29 3.8.2 Objectives 38 3.2.8 Service arrangements resulting from 3.8.3 Methodology 38 significant passenger variations 30 2.3.1.1 and 3.7.2.1 3.2.8.1 Increase in the number of students 30 Approval procedure – students eligible for distance based 3.2.8.2 Decrease in the number of students 30 assistance 39 3.2.9 School closures 30 2.3.1.2 and 3.7.2.2 3.2.10 Feeder service 30 Approval procedure – safety-net students 40 3.2.11 Re-runs 30 3.2.12 Bus stop areas 31 3.2.13 Road signs 31 3.2.14 Timetables 31 3.2.15 Bus passes 31 3.3 Conveyance committees 31 3.4 Role of bus operators 31 3.4.1 Contract obligations 31 3.4.2 Bus operator responsibility 32 3.4.3 Operator restrictions 32 3.4.4 Drivers 32 3.4.5 Conveying passengers on kilometre-based services 32 3.4.6 Charging of fares 32 3.4.7 Fares 32 3.4.8 Priority for travel 33 3.4.9 Conditions for safety-net students 33 3.5 Code of Conduct for School Students Travelling on Buses 33 3.5.1 Surveillance equipment and closed circuit television (CCTV) on school buses 33 3.6 Standards 33 3.6.1 Operators 33 3.6.2 Drivers 33 3.6.3 Service 34 3.6.4 Vehicles 34 3.6.5 Operation 34 3.6.6 Operational safety 34 3.6.7 Bus seating 34 3.6.8 Change of vehicle notification 34 3.6.9 Use of other vehicles in emergency circumstances 34 3.6.10 Relief or temporary vehicles 34 3.6.11 Use of private vehicles 35 4 The School Transport Assistance Scheme, Department of Transport and Main Roads – January 2021 5071_STAS Policy_Jan_2021_D.4.indd 4 20/1/21 3:01 pm What is the School Transport Assistance Scheme? The Queensland Government has provided transport assistance for This document is the policy of STAS.