
REVIEW OF SCHOOL BUS SERVICES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING FINAL REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS OCTOBER 2001 Review of School Bus Services REVIEW OF SCHOOL BUS SERVICES FINAL REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS OCTOBER 2001 Published by the Communications Division for the Office of School Education, DEET, Victoria © State of Victoria, October 2001 ISBN 0 7594 0224 8 The Department of Education, Employment and Training welcomes any use of this publication within the constraints of the Copyright Act 1968. Provided acknowledgement is made of the source, schools are permitted to copy material freely for the purpose of communication with the education community. When a charge is authorised for supplying material, such charge shall be limited to direct costs only. When the material is sold for profit, then written authority must first be obtained. Address inquiries to: The Manager Copyright Services GPO Box 4367, Melbourne Vic. 3001, Australia. For further information www.deet.vic.gov.au Review of School Bus Services CONTENTS Page i Chairperson’s foreword...................................................................................................................................5 ii Executive summary ..........................................................................................................................................7 iii List of findings and recommendations.........................................................................................................12 Chapter One Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................19 1.1Need for a review.............................................................................................................................................19 1.2Terms of reference............................................................................................................................................19 1.3 Review panel membership..............................................................................................................................20 1.4 Review methodology........................................................................................................................................20 1.5 Consultations ....................................................................................................................................................20 Chapter Two Overview of current arrangements ...........................................................................................................................23 2.1 Summary of current policy .............................................................................................................................23 2.2 Current provision..............................................................................................................................................24 2.3 Costs of current service provision.................................................................................................................25 2.4 Student transport – State comparison.........................................................................................................26 Chapter Three Adequacy of school bus services: Improving equity and fairness........................................................................29 Introduction....................................................................................................................................................................29 3.1 Free school bus travel......................................................................................................................................29 3.2 The impact of route closures..........................................................................................................................29 3.3 Defining eligibility for free bus travel ...........................................................................................................30 3.4 Towards a fairer conveyance allowance ......................................................................................................32 3.5 Subsidisation of school operated bus services ...........................................................................................33 3.6 Additional choice for government school students....................................................................................36 Review of School Bus Services Chapter Four Improved DEET and DoI school bus transit policies...............................................................................................39 Introduction....................................................................................................................................................................39 4.1 Improved rules and processes for the establishment of, or alteration to, a school bus service .......39 4.2 Transport to TAFE and other approved educational settings...................................................................41 4.3 Travel to special school settings....................................................................................................................42 4.4 Rural-urban fringe areas of Melbourne .......................................................................................................44 4.5 Better subsidised fare collection processes.................................................................................................44 4.6 Making school bus coordination a joint government and non-government school responsibility....45 4.7 Improving contracts with bus proprietors ...................................................................................................46 4.8 DEET/DoI overlap in provision of services...................................................................................................46 4.9 Transit passes...................................................................................................................................................47 4.10 Cross border issues..........................................................................................................................................47 Chapter Five Safety on and around school buses ..........................................................................................................................48 5.1 Issues identified................................................................................................................................................48 5.2 Department of Infrastructure initiatives......................................................................................................48 5.3 Seat belts and speed limits ............................................................................................................................49 5.4 Student management......................................................................................................................................51 5.5 Supervision ........................................................................................................................................................51 5.6 First aid..............................................................................................................................................................51 Chapter Six Conclusions....................................................................................................................................................................52 6.1 Impact of recommendations..........................................................................................................................52 6.2 Indexation..........................................................................................................................................................53 6.3 Implementation timelines...............................................................................................................................53 Appendices Appendix 1 List of attendees at consultations ........................................................................................................55 Appendix 2 Individuals and organisations who made submissions to the panel.............................................59 Review of School Bus Services CHAIRPERSON’S FOREWORD In May 2000, the Minister for Education, the Hon. Mary Delahunty, MP, appointed me to chair a Review of School Bus Services. In pursuing this review the Bracks Government is fulfilling its pre election commitment to conduct a review of the school bus system in rural Victoria examining the adequacy of services and the impact of route closures. The review process has included the opportunity for interested parties to make written submissions. In addition, there was a series of consultations conducted at eighteen locations across the state during October and November 2000. To assist the consultative and submission process, a booklet providing the necessary information was also widely distributed. The panel appreciates the wide range of views put forward by the many individuals, groups and organisations who participated in the consultations and who made written and oral submissions. The consultations were well attended in all locations indicating the high level of interest in the issue and a total of 459 written submissions were made to the panel. There is no doubt that the review has generated
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