Ssts Schools Manual

SCHOOL STUDENT
T R A N S P O RT SCHEME
Foreword
SCHOOL STUDENT T R A N S P O RT SCHEME
Foreword
This manual includes a
feedback sheet to enable you to
provide comments and ideas on
the content and layout of the
manual as well as how SSTS
administration can be
improved.
The purpose of this manual is to provide schools with
information on the School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS).
The manual provides an overview of how the Scheme operates
and details the important role that schools play in the adminis-
tration of the Scheme.
The manual provides schools with a comprehensive guide to their
responsibilities in relation to the SSTS. It is intended to reflect
current practice. Transport NSW recognises that much can be
done to improve processes, administrative efficiency and the
flexibility of the Scheme. To this end, Transport NSW has
established an SSTS policy team to implement improvements and
reform. An SSTS Working Party made up of major stakeholder
representatives, including relevant education bodies, is assisting
us in this task. The starting point has been to understand and
document policies and procedures as they are now. It is critical
that staff in the education system with responsibilities for the
SSTS are aware of what these are and are able to fulfil them in a
timely manner as this directly impacts on the cost and
effectiveness of the Scheme.
This manual includes a feedback sheet to enable you to provide
comments and ideas on the content and layout of the manual as
well as how SSTS administration can be improved. I encourage
you to use this mechanism. It will assist Transport NSW in
identifying and implementing service improvements.
Schools play a key role in the successful delivery of the SSTS to
students. The ongoing partnership between schools, transport
operators and Transport NSW will help ensure that NSW
continues to have a Scheme that meets the transport needs of
students.
Michael Deegan
Director-General
Transport NSW
November 2002
2
School Student Transport Scheme a manual for schools
This manual is divided into two main
sections.
The first section gives an overview of the Scheme and how it
operates. It defines the scope of the Scheme and its
eligibility criteria.
The second section details the role of schools in the
administration of the Scheme. It provides information on
the administration processes that schools are involved in and
gives step-by-step instructions regarding these processes.
This section also provides answers to some frequently asked
questions about the Scheme.
Schools need to have an understanding of the Scheme in total to
ensure that they fulfil their role. It is noted that not all schools
will undertake all roles outlined, e.g. many schools do not have
boarding students and, therefore, the processes involved for
boarders to receive subsidised transport under the Scheme are
not relevant to them.
Schools will need to determine how the manual applies to their
own particular situations and how it should be used.
About
this
manual
About this manual
3
Foreword 1
About this manual 2
An overview 6
Objective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Legislative basis for the Scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
SSTS parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Brief history of the Scheme. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Overview of services subsidised under SSTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
What SSTS covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
What SSTS does not cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Students eligibility 13
School students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
TAFE students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Special eligibility criteria 15
Students whose parents have joint custody . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Overseas students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Transport to agricultural plots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Geographically isolated distance education centres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Attending schools interstate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Students with disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Attending a different school temporarily . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Travelling by ferry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Parents/guardians temporarily absent from NSW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Residents of Lord Howe Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Assessing eligibility 20
Establishing the distance between home and school . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Table of contents
4
Table of contents
Applications on walking distance grounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Applications on health and safety grounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Applications on health grounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Applications on safety grounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Boarders 23
Weekend and vacation transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Long distance coach travel (LDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Private vehicle conveyance (PVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Students responsibilities 27
Bus Code of Conduct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Rules for travelling with CityRail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Services available 33
Choice of route and transport mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Rail services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Bus and ferry services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Regular passenger services under commercial contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
School bus services under non-commercial contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Long distance coaches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Private vehicle conveyance (PVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Appeals 37
Review by Transport NSW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Appeals panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
An overview 38
The application process 40
The schools role . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
The transport operators role. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Table of
contents
5
Table of contents
When students need to apply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Withdrawal of passes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Replacement passes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Retention of records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Working with bus operators 46
Factors to consider when changing school hours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Other considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Complaints and concerns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Payment processes 48
Commercial bus, ferry and rail services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Changed student circumstances. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Audit of commercial bus services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Non-commercial bus operators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Private vehicle conveyance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Boarders 52
Weekend/vacation transport on CountryLink and CityRail trains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Weekend/vacation transport on government buses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Weekend/vacation transport on private commercial buses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Long distance coach (LDC) travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Private vehicle conveyance (PVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Frequently asked questions 54
Enquiries 56
Feedback Sheet 57
Form List of students leaving school 58
Form List of students changing address 59
An
overview
6
About the Scheme
Why did Transport NSW
publish this manual?
The manual is a guide for schools
and provides information on the
School Student Transport
Scheme.
Q&A
The NSW Government is committed to providing support for
students to access education. The School Student Transport
Scheme (SSTS) is a key component of this.
The NSW Department of Transport (Transport NSW) has
published this manual as a guide to the SSTS for schools. The
manual is not intended to be a comprehensive rule book, nor
does it set out every detail of the internal workings of the SSTS.
Rather, it is designed as a guide to the various SSTS adminis-
trative tasks that are the responsibility of schools.
NSW has the most generous scheme in Australia for transporting
students. The Scheme provides subsidised travel for eligible
school students between their homes and the schools they
attend. If they meet the eligibility criteria, students can receive
subsidised travel on government rail, government bus and ferry
services, private bus and ferry services and long distance coaches.
A subsidy is also available for transport to and from school or
transport pick up point in private vehicles in areas where there is
no public transport.
In 2001-2002 the SSTS provided subsidised travel to over
664,000 students at a cost of more than $400 million.
The SSTS is administered by Transport NSW, which is
responsible for implementing government policy concerning the
transport of children to government and non-government
schools. Transport NSW administers the SSTS through its
Contracts and Compliance Offices based in Parramatta,
Wollongong and Newcastle. NSW is divided into three areas and
each office undertakes the tasks associated with management of
the Scheme within its area. See the back cover for a map of the
Contract and Compliance regions.
The Bus and Ferry Reform Group within Transport NSW is
responsible for identifying and negotiating major strategic
An
overview
7
AB OUT T HE S CHE ME
An overview
NSW has the most generous
scheme in Australia for
transporting students.
The ongoing partnership
between schools, transport
operators and Transport NSW
will help ensure that NSW
continues to have a School
Student Transport Scheme that
meets the transport needs of
students.
improvements to the arrangements for the provision of bus and
ferry services in NSW. This includes a focus on service
development, performance and efficiency issues. In this capacity
the Bus and Ferry Reform Group is responsible for identifying
and implementing SSTS improvements and reform in line with
Government policy.
To assist with this task an SSTS Working Party has been
established to ensure a coordinated and consultative approach to
improving the administration and effectiveness of the SSTS. The
Working Party includes representatives from Transport NSW, the
Department of Education and Training, Catholic Education
Commission, the Association of Independent Schools, the Bus
and Coach Association, Treasury and the Cabinet Office.
A high level policy coordination committee with senior
executives from Transport NSW, Treasury and the Department
of Education and Training has also been established to assist in
identifying and costing education policies and developments that
will impact on the SSTS and to ensure that the transport impacts
of policy changes are fully recognised.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the NSW School Student Transport Scheme
(SSTS) is to facilitate the transport of eligible students to their
school.
In pursuing this objective Transport NSWwill endeavour
to ensure that:
all NSW school students who do not live within reasonable
proximity to the school attended have access to education by
the provision of subsidised travel to and from school
in providing travel assistance, the States resources are
expended in the most efficient and effective manner, noting
that:
subsidised travel is available only for travel between
8
An overview
home and the school attended and on school days only
and
it is necessary to manage bus and rail capacity during
times of peak demand to seek to meet the reasonable
needs of all users.
LEGISLATIVE BASIS FOR THE SCHEME
The Transport Administration Act 1988 (NSW) provides for the
administration of government subsidised travel concessions, such
as the SSTS, in s.39:
(1) The Director-General shall administer, or arrange for the
administration of, any scheme approved by the Minister for
G ov e rnment subsidised travel co n cessions on pas s e n g e r
services.
(2) Payments required to be made in accordance with any such
scheme shall be made from such money as may be provided by
Parliament for the purpose.
Thus the administration of the SSTS, within the policy
framework set by government, is a function of the Director-
General of Transport NSW.
SSTS PARAMETERS
The Scheme can only be used for travel between home and the
principal school location or TAFE college. It does not extend to
activities such as school excursions, sports and work experience
or attendance at Vocational Education and Training (VET) in
schools, multi-campus high schools, Saturday schools, pre-
schools, mini-schools (except for full-time geographically isolated
distance education students), before and after school care or child
minding premises.
Subsidised travel under SSTS is only available when it is
undertaken during standard school days as per the Department of
Education and Training school calendar. It is only available within
SSTS can only be
used for travel
between home
and school.
SSTS is also
available to
eligible TAFE
students (see
section on
Eligibility).
Throughout this manual,
references to schools include
TAFE colleges.
DIDYOU KNOW?
9
An overview
1904
1956
1977
1983
1988
1993
1996
1999
2002
the normal range of school commencement and finishing times
on Monday to Friday (except for boarding school students). The
periods 7.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. must be
observed by operators, although individual transport operators
can extend these periods at their discretion.
Travel must be by the shortest and most economical approved
route between the students home and school. It is only available
from the boarding point closest to the students home to the
appropriate set-down point. Trips cannot be broken. Students can
only travel one forward and one return trip each school day.
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SCHEME
When first established in 1904, the aim of the SSTS was to
ensure that children in rural areas who did not live in close
proximity to their nearest school had equitable access to
education. Up until 1956 the SSTS was free for those country
students attending the nearest appropriate school, while students
in metropolitan areas were given a 50 per cent concession on
government bus and rail services.
In the early 1970s the requirement that travel must be to the
nearest appropriate school was lifted. By 1977 the distance
criteria had been progressively reduced to its most generous
point, with all infant students and any other students living
further than 1.6 km radially from their school entitled to
subsidised transport.
By 1983 the cost of the SSTS had increased to the point that the
first major inquiry (the Russell Inquiry) into school student travel
was convened by the Ministers for Education and Transport. The
then Department of Motor Transport took over administration
of the SSTS in 1986 and introduced a number of measures to
simplify administrative processes.
In 1988 the Government lifted the zoning restrictions for high
schools, allowing students to attend government high schools
An
overview
10
An overview
The School Student Transport
Scheme was established in 1904
to ensure that children in rural
areas had access to schools.
DIDYOU KNOW?
outside of their local area. At the same time the Government
adopted the policy of increasing the use of selective and specialist
schools, which also encouraged students to travel greater
distances to school. TAFE students under the age of 18 became
eligible for subsidised travel in 1989.
The parliamentary Public Accounts Committee reviewed the
SSTS in 1993 and recommended several reforms. The reforms
that were implemented included doubling the private vehicle
conveyance (PVC) payment rate and drafting new objectives. A
survey was also undertaken to determine average pass usage rates,
which resulted in a reduction of the payment rate to operators in
1996.
A number of other changes were introduced under recommen-
dation from the Budget Committee of Cabinet in 1996. The
SSTS Appeals Panel was introduced and the radial distance
criteria for secondary students was increased from 1.6 km to 2
km. A planned cap of $450 per annum on the subsidy for
students in urban areas was not introduced due to community
concern that this would lead to increased safety risks for children
walking to school.
Since 1996 a number of reviews have been undertaken. In 2000
PricewaterhouseCoopers identified a number of areas for consid-
eration and improvement in its review of all bus contracts (2031)
providing services under SSTS.
In late 1999 the Public Accounts Committee undertook a further
review of the SSTS. Its report, which identified the need for
improved communication between major stakeholders, improved
administration of the Scheme and greater emphasis on data
collection, was released in February 2002.
In addition to these reviews, a number of administrative changes
are now being implemented with a view to increasing the
efficiency and effectiveness of the SSTS.
An
overview
11
AB OU T T HE S CHE ME
An overview
The SSTS can only be used for
travel between home and school.
Students can only travel for one
forward and one return trip each
school day.
OVERVIEW OF SERVICES SUBSIDISED
UNDER SSTS
Transport services included in the SSTS are:
government rail (CityRail and CountryLink)
government bus and ferry services (State Transit, excluding
JetCats and tourist services such as Sydney Explorer)
private bus and ferry services
long distance coaches
private vehicle conveyance (PVC)
air travel for Lord Howe Island high school students only.
WHAT SSTS COVERS
The SSTS can only be used for travel between home and school.
Students can only travel for one forward and one return trip each
school day.
WHAT SSTS DOES NOT COVER
SSTS policy does not allow for travel between locations that may
be required by the school during the course of the school day.
Therefore, subsidised travel is not available for:
educational excursions
sporting activities away from the school
work experience programs
attendance at Vocational Education and Training (VET) in
schools
Saturday schools for community languages operated by the
Department of Education and Training
language/culture classes operated by various ethnic church and
community groups
12
pre-schools or child care centres, whether operated privately
or by the Department of Education and Training
formal and informal before and after school care
nominated carers residences
mini-schools, except for geographically isolated, full-time
distance education students.
An overview
Please fill out the Feedback Sheet at the back of this manu a l ..
FEEDBACK
SHEET
FEEDBACK
SHEET
FEEDBACK
SHEET
13
To be eligible for the Scheme an applicant must be:
a resident of NSW
and
4 years and 6 months of age or older
and
enrolled in a day or boarding school (either government or
non-government as defined under the NSW Education Act
1990) or TAFE.
The eligibility criteria are also linked to the students year in
school and the distance between the students home and the
school attended.
Overseas students who are entitled to receive free education in
NSW are also entitled to access the SSTS provided they meet the
other criteria. Those not entitled to free education in NSW are
not entitled to benefits under the SSTS. In these situations
schools are responsible for determining eligibility.
SCHOOL STUDENTS
School students are eligible for subsidised transport if
they:
attend infants school (K-2) irrespective of distance from home
to school
or
attend primary school (Years 3-6) and reside more than 1.6 km
(radial distance) from the school attended measured on a
radius from the centre of the school site, or 2.3 km or more by
the most direct practicable walking route to the nearest point
of physical entry to the school
or
attend secondary school (Years 7-12) and live more than
2.0 km (radial distance) from the school attended measured on
a radius from the centre of the school site, or 2.9 km or more
Students eligibility
Eligibility
ELIGIBILITY
Eligibility
Eligibility
ELIGIBILITY
Eligibility
ELIGIBILITY
Eligibility
ELIGIBILITY
If students are not eligible for
subsidised transport under the
School Student Transport
Scheme, they may be entitled
to a student concession on
government run services and on
some private operated services.
DIDYOU KNOW?
Students
eligibility
14
Students eligibility
A private vehicle conveyance
subsidy is available in areas where
there is no public transport.
by the most direct practicable walking route to the nearest
point of physical entry to the school
or
attend any year in school where the only form of transport to
that school is by private ferry.
School students are eligible for private vehicle
conveyance (PVC) if they:
meet one of the eligibility criteria listed above and live in an
area where there is no public transport for all or part of the
journey. (Part of the journey is defined as more than 1.6 km
walking distance from the place of residence to the nearest
transport pick-up point.)
TAFE STUDENTS
TAFE students are eligible for subsidised transport if
they:
are enrolled in a full time TAFE course, i.e. a course with a
duration of 12 weeks or more requiring a minimum of 20 hours
attendance over at least 4 days per week
and
are under 18 years of age at 1 January of the year of application
and
live more than 3.2 km from the college by the most
practicable walking route
and
are not employed
and
attend the TAFE college nearest their home at which
enrolment is available.
TAFE students are eligible for PVC if they:
meet all the eligibility criteria listed directly above and live in
an area where there is no public transport available.
15
There are some students who are eligible for subsidised travel
under SSTS for reasons other than the standard criteria outlined
on the previous pages.
STUDENTS WHOSE PARENTS HAVE JOINT
CUSTODY
Where a Residency Order has been awarded jointly to both
parents and the Order specifies that the child must reside with
each parent, the student may be eligible for subsidised school
transport in relation to both residences. The Family Court issues
a Residency Order, which states with whom a child should live.
This policy does not cover subsidised travel to or from different
residences by eligible students on weekends only (e.g. to cover
weekend access visits) or for day to day child care purposes and is
not to be interpreted in this way.
Approval by Transport NSW is subject to the normal eligibility
criteria being met (each residence is to be tested separately) and
the production of satisfactory evidence of the terms of the
Residency Order (or Custody Order prior to 1996). If the matter
has not gone to the Family Court, a statutory declaration from
each parent that specifies time sharing arrangements for the child
residing at both addresses should be submitted. If an application
for subsidised transport is approved to cover both residences,
Transport NSW informs the parents by letter and a copy of the
letter is provided to both the school and transport operator(s).
OVERSEAS STUDENTS
There are many students in NSW schools who are temporarily in
Australia to complete their education. These students are in
Australia on a range of types of temporary visas. The NSW
Department of Education and Training divides them into two
categoriesthose who are required to pay tuition for a
Special eligibility criteria
Under the Scheme, what is
the definition of reside for
students whose parents have
joint custody?
It means that the child enjoys the
physical amenity of a home
maintained by each parent and
stays overnight with the parent
when using their subsidised pass
to travel between that home and
school.
Q&A
16
Special
eligibility
criteria
Schools must determine the SSTS
eligibility for overseas students.
Schools should visit the
Transport NSW website at
www.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts
to get information on SSTS
entitlements by visa types.
government education and those who are eligible for a free
government educationdepending on the type of visa used to
enter Australia.
Students who are eligible for a free government education are
eligible for subsidised transport if they meet the general
eligibility requirements. Those students who are not eligible for a
free government education are not eligible for subsidised
transport.
If an overseas student attends a non-government school, but is
entitled to a free government education, she/he is eligible for
subsidised transport if the standard eligibility criteria are met.
The Department of Education and Training provides a listing of
all types of visas along with information about eligibility for free
government education for each visa.
Transport NSW uses this information to develop a table on SSTS
entitlements by visa type. This information is available on the
Transport NSW website at www.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts. Schools
should refer to this information, as they have the responsibility of
verifying SSTS eligibility for overseas students.
TRANSPORTTOAGRICULTURAL PLOTS
Secondary students studying agriculture do not always have
access to an agricultural plot or farm located on the school site or
within a reasonable walking distance of the school. Transport to
agricultural plots is by way of a chartered bus service, which is
organised by the school. Schools must apply to Transport NSW
for consideration of subsidised transport to the agricultural plot.
Transport NSWapproves the subsidised transport within
the following guidelines:
Costs are met only where the plot is not within reasonable
walking distance of the school as determined by Transport
NSW.
Assistance applies to one plot only and may not be extended
to travel to other plots owned by the school or private farms.
17
Costs are met for only one (1) trip per week for Year 7
students and a maximum of two (2) trips per week for all other
students (Years 8-12).
Travel must be at the cheapest rate for the most practicable
route available.
The payment process requires the bus company concerned to
prepare a payment invoice on a regular basis. The school is
required to certify the number of trips provided. The bus
company then submits the invoice to Transport NSW.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED DISTANCE
EDUCATION CENTRES
The Department of Education and Training operates a number of
distance education centres (mini-schools). Only those students
who are full-time, geographically isolated, distance education
students are eligible for subsidised transport to the education
centre under SSTS. Parents/guardians of these students are
eligible for the PVC subsidy for a maximum of eight (8) return
journeys per annum.
The distance education centres are responsible for providing
parents/guardians with application forms, processing the
applications (as per the standard process for Private Vehicle
Conveyance or Long Distance Coaches) and verifying school
attendance reports.
ATTENDING SCHOOLS INTERSTATE
Students who live in NSW and attend school in another state are
eligible for SSTS provided that they meet the standard eligibility
criteria.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Students with a disability, who are able to use public transport
and meet the standard SSTS eligibility criteria, can be
transported under the SSTS.
How can students with
disabilities get to and/or
from school?
The Department of Education and
Training (DET) arranges transport
to and/or from school for eligible
students with disabilities, behaviour
disorders and learning difficulties,
where parental or carer responsi-
bility for transport cannot be met
and where public transport is not a
viable option.
Information about this scheme is
available on the DET website at
www.schools.nsw.edu.au or from
the Leader, Student Special
Transport (telephone 13 1071).
Q&A
18
The Department of Education and Training (DET) arranges
transport to and/or from school for eligible students with
disabilities, behaviour disorders and learning difficulties, where
parental or carer responsibility for transport cannot be met and
where public transport is not a viable option.
Information about this scheme is available on the DET website
at www.schools.nsw.edu.au or from the Leader, Student Special
Transport (telephone 13 1071).
ATTENDING A DIFFERENT SCHOOL
TEMPORARILY
Students who temporarily attend a different school to access
specialised education, e.g. English language classes, are eligible for
SSTS if they meet the standard eligibility criteria and surrender
their existing passes to the school. Schools must inform operators
on the third Wednesday of the month of any change in a
students circumstances (including any temporary arrangements).
Subsidised travel is not available for attendance at a special class
or school for part of the week or part of the day.
TRAVELLING BY FERRY
Where the only form of transport for a student to school is by
private ferry, the student is eligible for subsidised transport on
the ferry. This is regardless of the radial distance between their
home and the school and their year in school.
PARENTS/GUARDIANSTEMPORARILY
ABSENT FROM NSW
Only NSW residents are eligible for subsidised transport to
school. For purposes of determining eligibility, a students
residence is the home in which he or she normally resides each
day, or in the case of boarders, during weekends and/or school
vacations. In most cases a students residence will be where the
parents/guardians reside, apart from any occasional absences of a
How do schools notify
transport operators of
changes to student
enrolments or students
addresses?
Schools use the forms that
appear at the back of this manual
to provide this information to
operators on the third
Wednesday of each month.These
forms are also available and may
be downloaded from the
Transport NSW website at
www.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts.
For administrative ease, schools
may wish to store these forms
electronically.
Q&A
19
transitory nature (e.g. holidays and business trips). Other
householdssuch as those involving foster parents or where
children are in other forms of full-time careare also included in
this definition.
Where a students parents/guardians are absent from the State for
other than occasional, transitory periods, the household is not
regarded as being within NSW for the period of the absence.
If a temporary guardian resident in NSW has been nominated,
that persons home is regarded as the students place of residence
for the purpose of determining eligibility for subsidised transport.
RESIDENTS OF LORD HOWE ISLAND
Subsidised air travel is available for secondary students who are
residents of Lord Howe Island and are required to travel to the
mainland for their education. This subsidy is for four (4) return
trips per year.
FEEDBACK
SHEET
FEEDBACK
SHEET
Assessing
eligibility
20
Assessing eligibility
Only Transport NSW can
determine if a student is eligible
on walking distance grounds.
DIDYOU KNOW?
ESTABLISHINGTHE DISTANCE BETWEEN
HOME AND SCHOOL
The standard eligibility criteria for subsidised travel under the
SSTS include radial and walking distance tests. Transport NSW
supplies maps with the relevant radial distances (1.6 and 2.0 km)
marked on them (and in some cases street lists) for use by schools
and operators when checking the eligibility of primary and
secondary school students based on radial distance. Transport
NSW alone determines whether a student is eligible on walking
distance grounds.
APPLICATIONS ONWALKING DISTANCE
GROUNDS
Students who reside inside the school radial distance may still be
eligible for subsidised transport if they have to walk 2.3 km
(primary students), or 2.9 km (secondary students) or more to the
nearest point of entry to the school property using a suitable
walking route. All applications on walking distance grounds must
be assessed and approved by Transport NSW. In such cases
parents/guardians should apply in writing to the relevant
Transport NSW Contracts and Compliance Office.
The letter must provide the following information:
the students full name and address as enrolled in the school
the school name and address
a list of all the streets along the walking route
the distance travelled specified to the nearest 100 metres.
The Contracts and Compliance Office will investigate each claim
and make a decision as to eligibility.
21
APPLICATIONS ON HEALTH AND SAFETY
GROUNDS
Schools and transport operators assess eligibility for subsidised
transport on the basis of the radial distance from the students
home to the school. Where the operator has determined that a
student is not eligible for subsidised transport, the operator
provides the parents/guardians with a written reason for the
decision and a copy of the document Information for Parents and
Guardians.
Please note that applications on health and safety grounds can
only be authorised by Transport NSW.
Applications on health grounds
Students not eligible for subsidised transport under the standard
eligibility criteria may be deemed eligible for subsidised transport
if they are unable to walk to school due to a health condition.
The subsidy may be in the form of a temporary travel pass or
Private Vehicle Conveyance (PVC) subsidy. (PVC is available in
both rural and metropolitan areas for students who have health
issues.) Most passes/approvals are issued for the stated period
only and parents/guardians must apply for a renewal in order to
extend the students eligibility past this period.
In order to apply for subsidised transport for health reasons, the
parents/guardians must obtain a medical certificate form, which
is available from Transport NSW or the bus operator concerned.
Parents/guardians must complete Part A and arrange for Part B
to be completed by a qualified registered medical practitioner.
The completed form is sent to the Transport NSW Contracts
and Compliance Office at the address on the form.
How do students apply for
subsidised travel for health
reasons?
Their parents or guardians must
obtain a medical certificate form
fromTransport NSW or the bus
operator concerned.They must
complete Part A and arrange for
Part B to be completed by a
registered medical practitioner.
Q&A
Applications on health and safety
grounds can only be authorised by
Transport NSW.
22
Applications on safety grounds
Students not eligible for the SSTS under the standard eligibility
criteria may be eligible for subsidised transport if their walking
route to school is considered unsafe. This may be due to
temporary road closures or construction, or may be a permanent
problem.
In order to apply for subsidised transport based upon safety
grounds parents/guardians must apply in writing to the Transport
NSW Contracts and Compliance Office. The letter must provide
the students full name and home address as enrolled at the
school, the name and address of the school, a list of the streets
along the walking route, the distance travelled to the nearest 100
metres and details of possible problem locations.
Upon receipt of the letter the Transport NSW Contracts and
Compliance Office will investigate the claim and make a decision
as to eligibility. Subsidised transport approvals on safety grounds
are for a specified period and are subject to periodic review by
Transport NSW.
If subsidised transport is not approved, parents/guardians will be
provided with information on how they can apply for a review of
the decision by the School Student Transport Scheme Appeals
Panel.
Students not eligible for the
SSTS under the standard eligibility
criteria may be eligible for
subsidised transport if their
walking route to school is
considered unsafe.
FEEDBACK
SHEET
FEEDBACK
SHEET
23
AB OUT T H E S CHE ME
Boarders
There is a range of travel assistance available to eligible NSW
students who attend boarding school.
Subsidised transport for boarders is available on:
CountryLink (rail or coach)
CityRail
long distance coach
private vehicle
commercial bus
ferries
and/or
non-commercial bus.
Boarders may be permitted to travel free of charge on non-
commercial bus services if no additional cost is incurred, i.e. spare
seats are available within the capacity on which payment is based
and there is no deviation from the route. Boarders do not have to
apply for this type of transport.
While most boarders reside at the boarding school, travel
assistance is available to eligible students living away from the
family home. It extends, therefore, to students boarding in
various types of hostels and private homes.
In the case of students residing away from the school, Transport
NSW uses the address supplied by the school when determining
eligibility for the SSTS.
Boarders can only have access to one of the following:
subsidised daily travel during the week between the place
where they board and school
or
subsidised weekend/vacation travel to their home.
Commercial bus services derive
their revenue from passengers
fares.They operate mainly in cities
and larger country towns.
Non-commercial bus services are
paid by the government.They
operate mainly in rural areas,
transporting students to schools.
Boarders
24
Boarders
Borders can have a pass for dail y
travel or for vacation/weekend
travel, but not for both.
DIDYOU KNOW?
Boarders must nominate one form of transport assistance.
Boarders have access to three different types of
subsidised transport for travel between home and school
in relation to school vacations and on weekends:
weekend/vacation pass (CityRail or CountryLink only)
includes travel on any weekend
or
long distance coach (LDC) reimbursement
limited to nine return journeys per year (normally in relation
to school vacations)
and/or
private vehicle conveyance (PVC)
can substitute for LDC in certain circumstances and can be
used for travel to/from transport pick-up drop-off points
A boarder may have either a weekend/vacation pass or receive
LDC reimbursement.
WEEKEND ANDVACATIONTRANSPORT
Boarders are eligible for subsidised weekend/vacation transport
for travel between home and school on weekends and at the
beginning and end of school vacations using State Rails regular
scheduled services on its train and coach network. This includes
CityRail and CountryLink services.
CountryLink will sometimes charter a bus to transport students
to reduce the burden on CountryLink trains, particularly at the
beginning and end of each term. The decision to charter a coach
is based on the number of students who wish to travel. Generally,
if there are between 20-25 students, CountryLink will charter a
coach. Individual boarding schools are responsible for notifying
CountryLink of student transport requirements and for booking
their tickets.
Subsidised weekend and vacation travel on CityRail trains is
Boarders
25
Boarders
In areas where there is no
existing public transport available,
a subsidy may be paid towards the
cost of providing transport by
private motor vehicle.
available within the CityRail network. These students are issued
with a weekend/vacation pass.
Subsidised weekend and vacation transport is available on
government buses (State Transit) to enable students to get to the
nearest rail station. State Transit provides boarding schools with
travel passes, to be given to students as required.
Subsidised weekend and vacation travel on private commercial
buses will be approved to enable students to get to the nearest rail
station in areas where suitable CountryLink services operate.
LONG DISTANCE COACH TRAVEL (LDC)
Subsidised LDC travel is available for eligible boarders for nine
(9) return journeys per year. LDC is defined as public passenger
services operated on regular routes by appropriate accredited
operators, and where each passenger is carried more than 40 km.
LDC is only available for boarders for whom travel by CityRail or
CountryLink is not suitable.
A maximum number of two return trips per term is allowed,
except for one term when an additional (third) return trip may be
taken at the students discretion. The number of journeys cannot
be aggregated from term to term.
PRIVATEVEHICLE CONVEYANCE (PVC)
In areas where there is no existing public transport available, a
subsidy may be paid towards the cost of providing transport by
private motor vehicle.
Where LDC is unavailable or is impractical, approval for PVC
may be available for the entire journey as a substitute. For
example, a student might have access to LDC for six journeys, but
need to be conveyed by private vehicle on other occasions due to
the LDC service not operating on the required days. In this case,
26
PVC can be paid for three return journeys in that year making it a
total of nine (9) return journeys.
Reimbursement for any private vehicle conveyance necessary to
join a CountryLink service is available whenever a student uses
his/her weekend/vacation pass to travel between home and school.
Boarders
FEEDBACK
SHEET
FEEDBACK
SHEET
FEEDBACK
SHEET
27
AB OUT T HE S C HE ME
Students responsibilities
BUS CODE
OF CONDUCT
When parents sign the SSTS
Application Form, they declare
that they support the code and
that it has been explained to their
child.
All students are to behave in a manner that ensures both their
comfort and safety and the comfort and safety of other
passengers.
Transport NSW has developed a Code of Conduct for students
travelling on buses. It was developed in consultation with the
Department of Education and Training, relevant principals
associations, the Catholic Education Commission, the
Association of Independent Schools, the Bus and Coach
Association and relevant unions and parent representative groups.
In addition, CityRail has developed a safety policy for students
travelling on trains.
These codes were designed to help ensure the safety and comfort
of everyone. Students who misbehave on buses or trains may be
subject to penalties based on the severity of the misbehaviour.
BUS CODE OF CONDUCT
Transport NSW has published Guidelines for Managing Schools
Students Behaviour on Buses: ACode of Conduct for students and
procedures for bus drivers, operators, school principals and parents/carers.
This publication can be found on the Transport NSW website at
These guidelines form the basis upon which bus operators must
develop and apply appropriate procedures to manage breaches of
the Code of Conduct. The guidelines detail the role of schools in
advising students of their responsibilities under the Code. They
ensure that all incidents of inappropriate behaviour are dealt with
in a fair and consistent manner, no matter which bus operator or
school is involved.
28
Classification of misbehaviour
To promote consistency and fairness in responding to the Code of
Conduct, misbehaviour is categorised as unacceptable behaviour,
dangerous behaviour, or highly dangerous behaviour. Each of
these categories has different penalties attached, as follows:
Unacceptable behaviour involves actions such as:
distracting the driver by persistent noise
failing to show a travel pass, except where passes are not
issued (i.e. non-commercial services in rural areas)
eating or drinking (other than water) on the bus
(unless for medical reasons or with the written permission
of the bus operator)
Behaviour
on buses
BEHAVIOUR
Behaviour
BEHAVIOUR
ON BUSES
The Code of Conduct states that students will:
behave safely at all times
respect the needs and comfort of other passengers
behave appropriately at all times (e.g. no use of offensive language, fighting, spitting, placing feet
on seats or throwing things in or from the bus)
protect bus property and report any vandalism
show their travel passes or tickets to the driver on boarding and when requested
only use the travel pass for its intended purpose
maintain possession of the travel pass at all times
follow the drivers instructions about safety on the bus (e.g. instructions on where to sit)
adhere to the law that bans smoking on buses
only eat or drink (other than water) on the bus with the permission of the bus operator
keep arms, legs and other parts of their bodies inside the bus
only attract the attention of the driver in the case of an emergency.
29
Schools are asked to advise
students of their responsibilities
under the Code of Conduct.The
code is available online at
www.transpsort.nsw.gov.au.ssts.
DIDYOU KNOW?
Students
responsibilities
smoking
spitting
using offensive language
minor harassing and bullying of other passengers
pressing the stop button continual ly
damaging property.
Penalty:
May lead to the loss of subsidised school transport privileges for
up to ten (10) school days. Students may be banned from
travelling on buses.
Dangerous behaviour involves actions such as:
serious harassing and bullying of other passengers
allowing any part of their body to protrude from the bus whilst
the bus is in motion
stopping others from disembarking at their stop
verbally threatening the driver
standing on steps or in areas not set aside for standing and
refusing to sit down
pushing and shoving when boarding or exiting the bus
swinging on bus handrails
throwing objects inside or out of the bus
fighting with other passengers
causing significant damage to property in buses
using matches/lighters
carrying dangerous items.
Penalty:
May lead to the loss of subsidised school transport privileges for
up to ten (10) school weeks. Students may be banned from
travelling on buses.
30
Highly dangerous behaviour involves actions such as:
pushing students out of the doors or windows
interfering with the driving controls or emergency door release
assaulting the driver or other passengers
interfering with safety equipment
recklessly or negligently endangering the safety of other
passengers or themselves
destruction of bus property.
Penalty:
May lead to the loss of subsidised school transport privileges and
possible court action or police prosecution. Students may be
banned from travelling on buses.
RULES FOR TRAVELLING WITH CITYRAIL
CityRail has developed a list of rules for all people travelling on
its trains. CityRail reserves the right to cancel train passes for
failing to adhere to these rules.
TICKETING RULES FOR USING CITYRAIL PASSES
If you dont have a pass, you must buy a ticket. CityRail staff and NSW police officers can ask
to see it at any time. The maximum fine for fare evasion can be as much as $550.
You can only travel between the two stations shown on your pass, and you cant break
your journey.
You are the only person allowed to use your pass.
You can only use your pass for travel on CityRail trains on school days from Monday to Friday.
If you have a school function to attend on weekends, you must purchase a half-fare or
concession fare ticket.
Use the automatic gate to enter and leave the station.
You must give up your seat while travelling on your pass if there are insufficient seats for adult
passengers.
CityRail RULES
31
AB OUT T H E S CHE ME
Failure to follow ticketing rules
for using CityRail passes means
that the pass may be confiscated
and/or the student may be fined.
Schools are asked to ensure that
students are aware of the rules
for travelling with CityRail.
DIDYOU KNOW?
Students
responsibilities
In addition, depending on the severity of the incident, CityRail
may ban a student from holding a train pass for a year or more
and could fine or prosecute a student. Schools are asked to ensure
that students are aware of these rules.
Failure to follow these rules means that the pass may be
confiscated and/or the student may be fined.
The following is an extract from a brochure that CityRail
provides to all students who are eligible for a rail pass.
Make your pass last
Please look after your pass. Dont damage or alter it. If you do,
it automatically becomes invalid.
If you have deliberately damaged or misused your pass, or if it
is lost or stolen, you will have to pay a replacement fee for your
new pass. Until you get a new pass, you will have to buy a
ticket each time you use the train.
The magnetic strip holds vital information, so its not a good
idea to store your pass next to any magnetic fields, including
any card with a similar magnetic strip.
Tips for a safer journey
Some things are strictly forbidden while using the CityRail
network.
It is unacceptable to:
take short cuts across the train lines
ride push-bikes, skateboards, scooters or roller blades on
stations, ramps or trains
take knives, spray cans or permanent marker pens onto
stations and trains (Police can charge people found with these
items.)
throw objects out of the train or litter the stations or train
put any part of your body outside the train
32
hold the train doors open
put your feet on the train seats.
If you do any of these things, your train pass could be cancelled,
you may be banned from holding a pass for a year of more and
you could be fined or even prosecuted.
Be polite
Always stand clear of station and platform entrances, train
doorways, stairs and ramps.
Wait for passengers to leave the train before trying to get on.
Take care with your school bags.
Be alert for anyone who might need help.
Keep yourself safe
Stand behind the yellow line and allow passengers to alight
from the train before boarding.
Move inside the carriage and keep doorways clear.
Do not board the train or keep the door open when the
whistle has blown.
FEEDBACK
SHEET
FEEDBACK
SHEET
33
There are several different arrangements under which subsidised
travel is provided to eligible students. Transport NSW reimburses
operators for the carriage of students who have been deemed
eligible.
In the case of private vehicle conveyance (PVC) reimbursement is
made directly to the parent/guardian.
CHOICE OF ROUTE AND TRANSPORT
MODE
In some situations students have an option to travel on bus, rail,
or ferry. As a rule, students should travel by rail in preference to
bus or ferry travel because of cost issues. However, the number of
times a student needs to change the mode of transport can be
taken into account. Issues such as the convenience to the student
and time taken to travel to school may also be given consid-
eration. Transport NSW makes the decision about which route
and transport mode will be subsidised.
A student can only use subsidised travel for the same mode of
transport and route in the morning and afternoon five days a
week. For example, rail cannot be used just in the mornings and a
bus in the afternoons.
Where students need to access more than one type of transport
to get to school (e.g. bus and train) they must apply for each type
of transport on a separate application form.
RAIL SERVICES
State Rail Authority provides subsidised daily travel to eligible
students on CityRail services and subsidised economy rail or
CountryLink coach travel on weekends, or at the beginning and
end of school vacations to students who reside away from their
permanent homes for the purpose of attending school (boarding
students).
Services available
Train
BUS
Ferry
Bus
Ferry
Bus
Train
34
Services available
BUS AND FERRY SERVICES
Bus services can be provided under two types of service
contractscommercial or non-commercialbetween the
operator and Transport NSW under the provisions of the
Passenger Transport Act 1990 (NSW). The Act requires that for
commercial contracts, operators derive their remuneration from
revenue generated by passengers' fares. Under non-commercial
contracts, remuneration is by payment from the Government on
an 'agreed contract price'. The vast majority of non-commercial
contracts are for school services.
Ferry services that transport students to and from school also
operate under the provisions of the Passenger Transport Act 1990.
There are no non-commercial contracts for ferry services in
NSW.
Regular passenger services under
commercial contracts
Under the terms of a commercial contract, operators provide fare
based services for the entire community. As part of this service
they must carry students between home and school.
There are over 230 commercial bus contracts in NSW covering
State Transit and private commercial operators. Students using
the SSTS travel on either a regular passenger service or the
operator may provide school specific services (generally known as
a school special). The decision to run a school special as distinct
from students using regular passenger services is made by the
operator and is based on student numbers/locations and bus
capacity. Under commercial contracts, the operator makes a claim
for reimbursement for the number of students approved for the
SSTS, with an average pass usage rate factored in.
Claims made by bus and ferry operators are audited by Transport
NSW to ensure accuracy (e.g. that student eligibility and distance
travelled are correct and that the student was enrolled at the
Where do commercial and
non-commercial bus services
operate?
Commercial bus services operate
mainly in cities and larger
country towns. Non-commercial
services usually operate in rural
areas.
Q&A
35
Services available
Services
available
Long distance coach travel for
boarders is only
approved where
there are no
CityRail or
CountryLink
services
available.
Private vehicle
conveyance is
only available
where there is
no existing
public transport available. It is
not available to accommodate a
students luggage.
DIDYOU KNOW?
Most non-commercial bus
services travel to more than one
school.
school). In addition, Transport NSW can conduct one off special
audits to ensure compliance with the operator s contract and
SSTS requirements.
School bus services under non-commercial
contracts
Where there is no commercial contract for regular passenger
services (usually in rural areas), Transport NSW may enter into a
non-commercial contract with an operator to conduct a service
along a specific route to transport students to and from school.
The route has to be approved by Transport NSW. A minimum of
15 students is needed before consideration can be given to start a
non-commercial contract and a minimum of eight students is
required to maintain the contract. There are over 1800 non-
commercial contracts in NSW. Most services travel to more than
one school.
LONG DISTANCE COACHES
Subject to a number of conditions, boarding school students
travelling between home and school are reimbursed for long
distance coach fares. A maximum of two return trips per term is
allowed, except for one term when an additional (third) return
trip may be taken at the students discretion. Parents/guardians
seek reimbursement for the cost of the bus trip directly from
Transport NSW.
In areas where there is no existing public transport available
between home and school or transport pick up point, a subsidy
may be paid towards the cost of providing transport by private
motor vehicle. The student needs to meet the standard eligibility
criteria. The subsidy is not intended to cover all of the costs of
these private arrangements, but assists with these costs.
Private conveyance arrangements usually consist of students being
driven to school or a transport pick up point by private motor
Services
available
36
Services available
Schools are responsible for
informing parents of the
availability of the PVC subsidy.
See page 50 for information on
the role of schools in the
payment process for PVC.
vehicle, but can encompass such things as travel by motor launch.
The conveyance subsidy is not paid for students who ride bicycles,
drive themselves or who are driven by other students.
Schools are responsible for informing parents of the availability of
the PVC subsidy.
PVC is paid per child, not per vehicle, and on the basis of the
distance each day of the one way journey from home to school or
the bus pick up point/railway station (wherever the journey ends).
While the subsidy is only paid on the basis of this one way journey,
a return journey has to be made each morning and afternoon to
attract the subsidy. Recipients are paid twice a year at the end of
each school semester (i.e. Terms 2 and 4).
In summary, the formula is:
(PVC category rate based on kilometres travelled one way)
(actual school attendance days) = PVC payment
The subsidy is payable to the parent or anyone nominated by the
parent, though only one creditor can be nominated. The parent
nominates whom the subsidy is to be paid to by way of a written
authority. These authorities are retained by Contracts and
Compliance Parramatta Office and remain in force until
withdrawn in writing.
Generally, a private vehicle conveyance subsidy will not be paid
over the route of a commercial or non-commercial bus contract
area. Transport NSW will not pay for PVC if another transport
option is available, even if it cannot accommodate the students
luggage such as in the case of boarding students.
PVC is also available for eligible TAFE students where no public
transport is available.
37
REVIEW BY TRANSPORT NSW
If an application for subsidised transport has been deemed
ineligible (by the school or transport operator) based on the
distance criteria, parents/guardians may reapply in writing to the
relevant Transport NSW Contracts and Compliance Office. The
letter should state the reasons why the student should have access
to the SSTS. This may include safety or medical issues.
If the application is also rejected by the Contracts and
Compliance Office and the parents or guardians believe there are
special circumstances that should be taken into account (such as
safety or hardship issues), they can appeal this decision.
Parents/guardians must complete the SSTSAppeals Panel
Application Form and submit it to the address on the form. The
form is supplied on request to applicants who the Contracts and
Compliance Office have deemed ineligible and is also available on
the Transport NSW website at www.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts.
APPEALS PANEL
The SSTS Appeals Panel is an independent body that was
established to review decisions made by Transport NSW
regarding the operation of the SSTS. Members of the panel
include representatives from the Department of Education and
Training and the Transport Safety and Rail Safety Regulation
Division, as well as a representative from either the Federation of
Parents and Citizens Associations of NSW, Council of Catholic
School Parents or the NSW Parents Council.
The SSTS Appeals Panel generally meets monthly or on an as
needed basis. The Panel determines each case on its merits and
parents are informed in writing of the Panels decision.
Appeals
What can parents/guardians
do if the school or transport
operator rejects
an application?
Parents should
write to their
Transport NSW
Contracts and
Compliance
Office stating
the reasons
why the student
should have
access to the
SSTS.
See the back
cover of this manual for
information on Contracts and
Compliance Offices.
Q&A
What if the Contracts and
Compliance Office also
rejects an application?
Parents and guardians can appeal
the decision. If they wish to do
this, they must complete the SSTS
Appeals Panel Application Form.
The appeal will be heard by the
SSTS Appeals Panel.
38
There are a number of different
administrative processes under
the SSTS. Some schools will deal
with only one process, while
others may deal with a number of
them.
The particular process or
processes that schools are
involved in will depend on the
individual school location, the
type of transport required, and
for bus services, the type of
contract that they operate under.
The role of schools
The role
of schools
Schools play a vital role in the day to day administration of the
SSTS. Schools undertake many tasks that are essential to the
efficient operation of the SSTS, from distributing application
forms to students, reviewing eligibility on radial distance grounds,
checking student enrolment information as part of the routine
sample auditing of transport operators payment claims and
regularly informing operators of any changed student circum-
stances.
There are a number of different administrative processes under
the SSTS. Some schools will deal with only one process, while
others may deal with a number of them. The particular process or
processes that schools are involved in will depend on the
individual schools location, the type of transport required and,
for bus services, the type of contract that they operate under. For
example, schools in a large country town might have students
travelling on commercial and non-commercial bus services, as well
as students travelling by private vehicle conveyance.
In summary, schools:
distribute information provided by Transport NSW to
students and parents
contact Transport NSW when application forms are required
distribute application forms to students
verify the information on application forms is correct (that
students are currently enrolled at the school and that their
addresses are correct)
assess whether a student is eligible for subsidised transport on
the basis of the radial distance from the school to the students
residence, using maps supplied by Transport NSW
(street lists also provided in some cases)
forward eligible students applications to transport operators
receive travel passes, which are issued by transport operators,
and distribute to the students named on the passes
39
T HE ROL E OF S CHOOL S
collect old passes that students must surrender when receiving
new passes because of students change of address or school
(These old passes should be returned to the operator. If a pass
is lost, the parent/guardian must provide a statement to this
effect when applying directly to the operator for a new pass.
The operator may send the replacement pass to the school for
collection or send it to the students home address. In some
cases, the replacement pass can be collected at the operators
business address.)
return to the operator concerned any passes that students fail
to collect
notify all transport operators (rail, buses and ferries) on the
third Wednesday of the month of changes to students circum-
stances, specifically:
students who have changed address
(which may affect their eligibility)
students transferring to another school
students leaving school altogether
(Schools must retain a copy of this information for audit
purposes for seven years.)
verify details of students as part of routine Transport NSW
sample audits of commercial bus operators claims for payment
(Schools should return this verification to the operator as soon
as possible to ensure timely payment to the operators. For
non-commercial bus services, schools verify student
information at the annual survey undertaken by Transport
NSW.)
advise students of their responsibilities under, and the
consequences of breaching, the Code of Conduct.
Schools are responsible for informing the transport operator of
any changed circumstances regarding students. The Government
pays transport operators for transporting students based on the
number of students who have been approved for subsidised travel.
If schools fail to inform operators of changed student circum-
stances, operators can be overpaid, administrative costs are
increased and public confidence in the SSTS is eroded.
informing transport operators
of any changes in student
circumstances.
Schools should complete the
forms printed at the back of this
manual and send them to the
operators on the third
Wednesday of the month
(February to December
inclusive).
The forms are also available on
the Transport NSW website at
DIDYOU KNOW?
An overview
40
The application process
The
application
process
Payment to transport operators
for transporting students to
schools is based on the number
of students who have been
approved for subsidised travel.
If schools fail to inform operators
of changed student circumstances,
the Government is paying
operators for a service that was
not used, adding unnecessary
costs to the SSTS.
The diagram on page 41 provides a representation of the school
student travel pass application and operator payment processes
for services operated under a commercial bus contract and for
ferry and rail services. This accounts for approximately 80 per
cent of approved subsidised school student travel.
THE SCHOOLS ROLE
The role of schools in the administration of the SSTS is
dependent on the schools location and the type of local
transport service provided. The majority of students who apply
for SSTS will travel by bus, train or ferry.
Outlined below is the process usually followed when
applying for SSTS on these modes.
1. Transport NSW prints application forms and schools contact
the Department as they require additional forms. There are
four different application forms for travel by rail, government
bus and ferry services, private bus and ferry services and a
separate form for TAFE students. If schools require forms
they should contact their relevant Transport NSW Contracts
and Compliance Office (see the map on the back cover of this
manual). In some circumstances, the relevant transport
operator may also have application forms.
2. Schools distribute application forms to students/guardians at
orientation sessions or at the beginning of the school year or
as required.
3. The students parent or guardian must complete Part A of the
relevant application form(s), which contains student
information, and return it to the school. A separate
application must be lodged for every part of the journey to be
undertaken with a different transport operator. For instance, a
journey using the services of two bus operators and CityRail
would require three applications. However, if a student travels
on two separate services of the same transport operator, only
one application is necessary.
41
Note:Overseas students who are not
eligible for free government education
are not eligible for subsidised travel.
Schools are responsible for verifying
this eligibility.
Transport NSW Distributes forms to schools
Operator Submits payment claim to Transport NSW
Transport NSW Sends audit samples to operators
Operator Sends audit samples to schools to check
School Checks student data and returns to operator
Operator Returns checked audit sample to Transport NSW
Transport NSW Adjusts and pays operator claims
School Distributes forms to parents
Parent Submits completed forms to school
School Assesses student eligibility (radial distance test)
School Certifies student enrolment and sends to operator
School Distributes passes to students (if required)
Operator Assesses student eligibility (radial distance test)
Operator Captures student data
Operator sends Q&A form to parents
Operator adjusts records that vary
Operator Issues travel passes (to students or via schools)
ELIGIBLE
ELIGIBLE
NOT ELIGIBLE (lives within the 1.6 or 2.0 km radius
School returns form to parents
Parents can seek review of
eligibility decisions.
NOT ELIGIBLE (lives within the 1.6 or 2.0 km radius
TRAVEL PASS APPLICATION PROCESS
PAYMENT PROCESS
42
4. When the school receives the application, the principal or a
delegated member of staff ensures that Part A has been
completed. The address on the application form is checked
with those on the school records. If it differs, a check is made
with the parent/guardian and either the school records or the
application form is amended.
5. The school then assesses the eligibility of the student for
subsidised transport by using radial maps (and in some cases
street lists) supplied by Transport NSW, which are used to
verify that students meet the radial distance criteria. For
overseas students, the school must also check their eligibility
for free government education, (which in turn is the basis of
their eligibility for the SSTS), by visiting the Transport NSW
website at www.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts.
6. If the school believes that by using the radial map (or street
lists) the student appears to be eligible for subsidised travel,
the school signs and dates Part B (which confirms this), sends
the original application to the transport operator concerned
and retains the school copy in the school files.
7. If a student is clearly not eligible for a pass, the school delegate
returns the application form to the parent. If unsure of
eligibility, the school delegate submits the application to the
operator for determination.
8. If a student who has been issued an SSTS pass leaves the
school or changes address, the school must inform the relevant
operator of this as it affects payment to the operator. Schools
are to provide this information to the transport operator on
the third Wednesday of each month from February to
December on the form provided at the back of this manual.
9. If a student does not collect an issued pass, the school should
return it to the operator concerned.
For bus services under a commercial contract, it is very important
that schools forward applications as soon as possible (usually
within one week of the start of the school year) to the transport
operators. The information on the forms is used by operators to
plan their services and to ensure that they have the capacity to
transport eligible students. For example, this information helps a
bus operator to determine how many buses will be needed and
On the third Wednesday of every
month, schools should use the
forms at the back of this manual to
notify transport operators of
changed student circumstances.
These forms are also available at
Where will schools find
information about overseas
students eligibility?
This information can be found on
the Transport NSW website:
Q&A
The
application
process
43
design the route, including the timing of services to pick up and
drop off students. Delays in referring the application forms to the
transport operators can also lead to students being charged fares,
as operators are unable to identify students that are eligible to
travel on SSTS.
THE TRANSPORT OPERATORS ROLE
1. Transport NSW also provides transport operators with copies
of the radial maps (and in some cases street lists), which they
use to check the radial distance eligibility for each SSTS
application sent to them by the schools.
2. If a student is not eligible for a pass on radial distance criteria,
the operator returns the application form to the parent or
guardian giving the reason the application was declined.
Information is also sent to the parent/guardian advising them
of the options available for review of the decision by Transport
NSW. A review may be based on health, safety or walking
distance grounds.
3. If all the eligibility criteria are met, the operator issues a pass
that can be used only for travel under the SSTS. The pass is
sent to the school for distribution to the student or posted to
their home address by the operator. For travel at other times,
students are required to pay the appropriate fare (e.g. child
concession fare).
4. In some situations, such as in rural areas, passes are not issued,
as the operator knows the eligible students.
5. The operator keeps the original application on file.
If uncertainty exists as to a students eligibility, the operator
should not issue a school travel pass. The application should be
referred to the relevant office of Transport NSW for consid-
eration. If an operator has failed to refer doubtful applications to
Transport NSW and has issued passes in error, Transport NSW
will not pay the operator for these passes and may penalise the
operator.
Bus operators generally allow school children to travel free of
charge for the first two (2) weeks of the school year to enable
In some situations, such as in
rural areas, passes are not issued,
as the operator knows the
eligible students.
DIDYOU KNOW?
44
reasonable time for all new eligible students to be issued with
their passes (although operators are not obliged to offer this
service). This period may be extended if circumstances require.
If there is a delay in issuing a pass, schools may wish to negotiate
with individual bus operators for them to accept a letter from the
school confirming the students eligibility.
Rail passes are valid until 31 March, which means that students
have valid passes at the start of the school year. These passes are
not valid during the summer holidays. CityRail provides schools
with complimentary passes for eligible new students, which
enables them to travel from the start of the school year until new
passes are issued in April.
WHEN STUDENTS NEED TOAPPLY
Anew application must be completed when a student:
enrols in kindergarten
progresses from Year 2 to be an eligible student in Year 3
progresses from Year 6 to Year 7
changes name, school, and/or address
changes route (initiated by the student).
The student must surrender his/her old pass to the school when
receiving a new pass, which has been issued because of a change
of name, address or route initiated by the student. The school
returns the old pass to the relevant operator. If the pass is lost,
the parent or guardian must provide a statement to this effect
when applying for the new pass.
WITHDRAWAL OF PASSES
Transport NSW reserves the right to withdraw subsidised travel
in a range of circumstances, e.g. when a pass was issued in error,
after a change of circumstances or due to misrepresentation by
the applicant.
When do students need to
apply for subsidised travel
under the School Student
Transport Scheme?
A new application must be
completed when a student:
enrols in kindergarten
progresses from Year 2
progresses from Year 6 to 7
changes name, school
and/or address
changes route (initiated by
the student).
Q&A
45
Where Transport NSW decides to withdraw subsidised travel, it
will write to the students parents/guardians, the school and to the
relevant transport operator(s) setting out the reasons and giving
instructions for the surrender of the pass.
REPLACEMENT PASSES
The operators meet the initial cost of producing passes. Transport
NSW has authorised operators to charge an administration fee to
cover replacement of lost, stolen or damaged passes.
Operators produce their own replacement pass application forms.
Parents/guardians must contact the operator directly for a
replacement pass form.
RETENTION OF RECORDS
Schools should retain student records for subsidised travel for
seven years from the last date that the student attended the
school.
Schools should retain student
records for subsidised travel for
seven years from the last date
that the student attended the
school.
Please use the forms at the back of this manual
to notify transport operators of changed student circ u m s t a n c e s .
FEEDBACK
SHEET
FEEDBACK
SHEET
46
Working with
bus operators
The smooth operation of the SSTS depends upon schools and
bus operators working together effectivel y. This is because bus
operators often use the same buses for student transport and for
regular passenger services.
Bus operators rely on information from schools to plan their
routes to serve local communities as well as coordinate transport
timetables to drop off and pick up students as close as possible to
school bell times. It is important, therefore, that schools liaise
and negotiate with bus operators prior to any changes that affect
transport route or timetable planning, especially changes in
school hours or school location.
FACTORSTO CONSIDER WHEN
CHANGING SCHOOL HOURS
A common complaint heard by Transport NSW is that bus
operators are not willing to change timetables to meet changed
school hours.
Each school should be aware that the one bus operator often
services a number of schools. This makes it imperative to consult
with all local operators when considering changes to school
hours. A school should not simply expect the local operator to
respond to the schools new hours.
Bus operators provide regular passenger services in many areas so
that buses used for school student transport may also be used at
other times for normal passenger services. It may be necessary to
reduce or change services in another location to provide
additional or extended services to a school. This can create a
situation where some students in a school are forced to meet
buses earlier in the morning and spend more time travelling.
Similar problems can arise in the afternoon.
Working with bus operators
It is important that schools and
bus operators talk to each other
about any changes that might
impact on student transport.
Before implementing changes,
schools should consult with
operators to coordinate
transport and education
requirements.
47
Schools should be aware that a
number of factors might affect
the operators ability to provide
the service required.These
include services to multiple
schools, fluctuating and
changeable student numbers,
unexpected or one-off changes in
school hours, the weather and
road conditions.
DIDYOU KNOW?
This is especially the case in rural areas, where the operator
usually carries students from several schools on the one bus. For
all students to arrive at their school by the required start time,
some students are delivered to school well before school
commences, while students who attend a school at the end of the
route may arrive after the start of school.
Additional problems with supervision are imposed where
students arrive early for school and have to wait much longer at
the end of the day.
In summary, major consequences can arise if schools introduce
new start and finish times without consultation and an
understanding of the operational constraints on bus services.
Establishing regular communication lines with operators is
essential to ensure coordination of transport and education
requirements.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Schools should be aware that a number of factors might affect
the operators ability to provide the service required. These
include services to multiple schools, fluctuating and changeable
student numbers, unexpected or one-off changes in school hours,
the weather and road conditions.
COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS
If a school or a parent has a complaint or concern about a bus
service, the first step is to contact the relevant operator. If the
issue cannot be resolved, they should approach their relevant
Contracts and Compliance Office listed on the back cover.
Complaints and concerns about CityRail and State Rail should be
directed to the Transport Infoline on 131 500.
Payment
processes
48
COMMERCIAL BUS, FERRYAND RAIL
SERVICES
Transport operators (buses, ferries and trains) are paid by
Transport NSW in regular instalments throughout the year. The
amount paid is based on what the operator received in the
previous period with an adjustment made to reflect the current
situation.
Schools whose students are transported by commercial bus and
ferry services or by rail play a significant role in providing
information which Transport NSW uses to determine payment to
the operator.
The amount that commercial bus and ferry operators and State
Rail are paid for transporting students to schools is dependent on
the number of students that have been approved for SSTS travel.
The schools role is less complex in relation to the payment
process for non-commercial bus services, being limited to
verifying student information annually.
Changed student circumstances
Schools are required to convey to commercial bus and ferry
operators and State Rail any changed circumstance regarding
students, e.g. when students change school or address.
In the past, it was a requirement for schools to provide this
information on the 15th of every month. A form was filled out by
the schools, giving details of changed student information to each
operator. Over the years some schools have discontinued this
practice and may have adopted local arrangements. This has
resulted in operators sometimes being overpaid.
Without accurate information from schools, Transport NSW will
Payment processes
Under commercial contracts,
transport operators are paid for
all students who have a pass, even
if it is only used occasionally or
not at all.
49
continue to overpay operators for transporting students who are
no longer eligible. Clearly this will have a significant impact on
the SSTS cost to taxpayers. Therefore, Transport NSW requires
schools to reinstate the practice of informing each operator of
changed student circumstances on a monthly basis.
This information should be completed on the third Wednesday
of every month from February to December inclusive on the
forms provided at the back of this manual. If no students have
left school during the past month, schools are required to return
the form to the operator concerned, ticking the Nil changes
box.
Schools should retain a copy of this information for seven years
from the date that the report was sent to the operator.
Audit of commercial bus services
The audit of commercial bus services has a direct role in
determining payment to commercial bus operators. Audits are
conducted twice a year to verify that students meet the eligibility
criteria. Schools play a pivotal role in the audits as the
information they provide is used to adjust the amount of the
payment to bus operators. Following are details of the audit
process.
1. Bus operators provide Transport NSW with a complete list by
school of all eligible students provided with subsidised SSTS
travel in the contracted area.
2. Transport NSW randomly selects up to 100 students covered
by each contract. This list is then sent to the relevant bus
operators.
3. Bus operators send the listed students details to the relevant
schools.
4. Schools check the details (addresses and enrolment at the
school) and verify that they are correct. If there are errors or
changed circumstances regarding student details, the school
makes a note of these on the list.
Schools should use the forms at
the back of this manual to inform
operators of students leaving
school or of a student's changed
address.This is to be done on the
third Wednesday of the month
from February to December. If
there are no changes, tick the nil
changes box on the form and
return it to the operator
concerned.
These forms are also available at
DIDYOU KNOW?
Payment processes
50
5. Schools are required to sign each page of the list of students
verified during the audit.
6. Schools then return the students details to the bus operators.
7. The operators then forward the semester returns to Transport
NSW. This information is used to generate payment to the
operators.
8. The operators adjust their records to incorporate the
information on changed student circumstances for future
payment claims.
NON-COMMERCIAL BUS OPERATORS
Schools that are serviced by non-commercial bus services may be
asked to verify student information when Transport NSW
conducts its annual survey, which is used to adjust payments to
the operators. This information concerns student enrolment
details.
PRIVATE VEHICLE CONVEYANCE
1. Schools are responsible for informing parents of the
availability of the Private Vehicle Conveyance (PVC) subsidy.
2. Schools distribute application forms to students for parents or
guardians to complete. These forms are provided to schools by
Transport NSW.
3. Parents/guardians return the completed forms directly to the
Contracts and Compliance Parramatta Office. In some cases,
schools request that this information be sent back to the
school. In these cases, the school then sends it on to the
Contract and Compliance Parramatta Office.
4. Twice a year the Contract and Compliance Parramatta Office
sends a list of all PVC recipients to relevant schools and they
must provide information on the number of days each
approved student attended school. The school should also
provide information about students who are no longer eligible
or have left the school. This information is reported on the
PVC Semester Return.
Payment processes
Schools must verify student
addresses and enrolment details in
the sample provided by the bus
operator twice a year.
Schools are required to sign every
page of the list provided in the
audit.The information that schools
provide in the audit impacts on
how much the Government pays
commercial bus operators.
51
5. If any new students have not been included in the Semester
Return, the school notes this on the Semester Return. The
school should advise all new students about the availability of
PVC and provide them with an application form.
6. Schools then forward completed Semester Returns to the
Contracts and Compliance Parramatta Office.
As a general rule the PVC subsidy is not granted retrospectively.
Schools are requested to complete Semester Returns as promptly
as possible as failure to do so will result in delaying payments to
parents or guardians.
A PVC payment is made at the end of each semester (Term 2 and
4) for each student deemed eligible for private vehicle
conveyance. PVC is administered centrally at the Contracts
and Compliance Parramatta Office.
Payment processes
informing parents of the
availability of the private vehicle
conveyance subsidy.
DIDYOU KNOW?
Please use the forms at the back of this manual
to notify transport operators of changed student circ u m s t a n c e s .
FEEDBACK
SHEET
FEEDBACK
SHEET
52
Schools are required to provide boarders with relevant forms for
the type of transport they need to use to travel home on
weekends/holidays. These are:
WEEKEND/VACATIONTRANSPORT ON
COUNTRYLINK AND CITYRAIL TRAINS
Application for weekend/vacation travel on CountryLink and
CityRail trains is made by completing the Application for Travel
under the School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) Travel on
Government Rail/Rural Coach Services. The application process and
the schools role are the same as for day students. Passes issued to
students are marked Boarder Pass.
WEEKEND/VACATIONTRANSPORT ON
GOVERNMENT BUSES
No application is required to travel on government buses using a
State Transit travel pass. It is the schools role to determine
which students are eligible for the travel pass (using the standard
SSTS eligibility criteria) and to provide the student with the pass
on an as needed basis.
WEEKEND/VACATION TRANSPORT ON
PRIVATE COMMERCIAL BUSES
Application for subsidised weekend/vacation transport on private
commercial bus services is made by completing the Application for
Travel under the School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) Travel on
Private Bus/Private Ferry Services. These passes are processed in
the same manner as day student passes and the role of the school
is the same as for day students.
LONG DISTANCE COACH (LDC) TRAVEL
Schools distribute the Application for Long Distance Coach Travel by
Eligible Students to students for parents or guardians to complete.
Boarders
What are the relevant forms
that borders need to complete
for subsidised travel on
weekends and holidays?
For CountryLink and CityRail:
Application for Travel under the School
Student Transport Scheme (SSTS)
Travel on Government Rail/Coach
Services.
For private commercial bus
services: Application for Travel under
the School Student Transport Scheme
(SSTS) Travel on Private Bus/Private
Ferry Services.
No application is required to travel
on government buses using a State
Transit travel pass.
Q&A
Boarders
53
Boarders
Where CountryLink and Long
Distance Coach transport is
unavailable or impractical, PVC
may be approved by Transport
NSW as a substitute for the
entire journey between home and
boarding school.
These forms are provided to schools by Transport NSW.
Parents/guardians return the completed forms to the school for
signature by the principal. The school then sends the application
form to Transport NSW.
Each approval will remain in force while the:
student continues to board in order to attend the school
concerned
student continues to reside at the same address
availability of rail travel does not change
LDC service continues to operate.
At the end of each semester the parents/guardians complete the
Claim for Reimbursement of Long Distance Coach Costs and
attach the original receipts or the copy of the passengers coach
ticket. The school verifies the travel and then submits the form,
with the receipts or copy of the tickets, to the Transport NSW
Contracts and Compliance Office at the address on the claim
form. The Contracts and Compliance Office processes the claim
upon receipt and submits an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
deposit into the parents account.
Where CountryLink and Long Distance Coach transport is
unavailable or impractical, PVC may be approved by Transport
NSW as a substitute for the entire journey between home and
boarding school. In this case, the subsidy is paid for the
equivalent of up to nine (9) return journeys per year. For example,
where LDC is unavailable/impractical PVC may be paid up to
nine timesor if LDC were available for six journeys, PVC may
be claimed for the remaining three return journeys per year (or
the equivalent, such as where LDC was available one way, but not
return).
The application and payment processes for boarders are the same
as for other PVC subsidy recipients.
54
SCHOOL STUDENT T R A N S P O RT S C H E M E
What happens if a student does not use the
pass?
Transport NSW reimburses transport operators for the carriage of
students who have been deemed eligible. Operators are paid on a
formula that takes into account the number of students issued
with passes. Therefore, if a student has a pass just in case it is
needed, this adds significantly to the payment made to the
operator for a service that is not used.
What if a student loses the pass?
Parents or guardians should apply for a replacement from the
transport operator concerned (e.g. the bus operator, CityRail). A
fee will be charged for the new pass and students must pay the
normal concession fare until the new pass is issued.
Why must students use the same modes of
travel for trips to and from school?
Payments are based on the return fare, five days per week for the
one operator. Generally, the current system does not allow for
operators to be paid a part subsidy.
Why cant students board or disembark at
different locations?
Payments to transport operators are based specifically on travel
from the students home to school and not to or from other places
such as after school care or a grandparents place. Under current
arrangements, the Scheme does not fund travel for multiple
destinations, except by students whose parents have dual custody.
If a student is required to attend
sports/excursions/work experience during
school time, why cant the bus pass be used?
The SSTS only provides for travel between a students residence
and the school attended. There is no provision under the Scheme
to fund the carriage of students for any other purpose or to or
Frequently asked questions
Operators are paid on a formula
that takes into account the
number of students issued with
passes.Therefore, if a student has
a pass just in case it is needed,
this adds significantly to the
payment made to the operator
for a service that is not used.
55
Frequently asked questions
Frequently
asked
questions
The SSTS Appeals Panel is an
independent body that was
established to review decisions
made by Transport NSW
regarding the operation of the
SSTS.
Members of the panel include
representatives from the
Department of Education and
Training and the Transport
Safety and Rail Safety
Regulation Division,as well as a
representative from either the
Federation of Parents and
Citizens Associations of NSW,
Council of Catholic School
Parents or the NSW Parents
Council.
from any other location. Students who are travelling from
locations other than between home and school are entitled to
travel at the normal concession fare.
When are payments made under private
vehicle conveyance?
Payments are made twice a year after the completion of the
semester. Schools are required to advise Transport NSW of the
number of days that students attended for the semester. Payment
is based on the distance between home and the point at which
the private conveyance terminates, i.e. the school, bus pick-up
point or railway station.
What happens to students whose parents are
separated? Can they get a pass for subsidised
travel from both addresses?
Where a Residency Order has been awarded jointly to both
parents and the Order specifies that the child must reside with
each parent, the student may be eligible for subsidised school
transport in relation to both residences subject to meeting the
eligibility criteria. A Residency Order, which states with whom
the child should live, is issued by the Family Law Court.
If a student has been refused a pass, what can
the parents/guardians do?
If the school or operator has deemed a student ineligible for
subsidised travel, the parents or guardians can apply in writing to
their relevant Transport NSW Contracts and Compliance Office.
If the application is unsuccessful, the parents or guardians can
appeal the decision.
Suggestions for improvements to the SSTS and enquiries
about policy should be directed to:
The Manager
School Student Transport Scheme Policy
Transport NSW
GPO Box 1620
Sydney 2001
Telephone 02 9268 2800
Information about the School Student Transport Scheme
is also available on the Transport NSWwebsite at:
http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts.
56
For all administrative and
operational enquiries about
the School Student Transport
Scheme, schools should
contact their relevant
Transport NSW Contracts
and Compliance Office.
Parramatta Office
Level 1
1618 Wentworth Street
Parramatta NSW 2150
Locked Bag 5085
Parramatta NSW 2124
Telephone: 02 9891 8900
Toll free: 1800 227 774
Newcastle Office
Ground Floor
239 King Street
(PO Box 871)
Newcastle NSW 2300
Telephone: 02 4929 7006
Toll free: 1800 049 983
Wollongong Office
Level 6, NRMA Building
221229 Crown Street
(PO Box 5215)
Wollongong NSW 2500
Telephone: (02) 4224 3333
Toll free:1800 049 961
Enquiries
Design by Kathleen Phelps
Illustrations by Caspian Mouncey
Please fill out the Feedback Sheet at the back
of this manu a l .
Strongly Disagree Agree Strongly
disagree agree
1. The information contained in the manual is relevant.
2. The information in the manual will help in the
administration of the SSTS.
3. The manual is easy to read and understand.
4. It is easy to find information that I need in the manual.
5. The manual is well designed.
FEEDBACK SHEET
SSTS Amanual for schools
To assist Transport NSW in providing future information to schools on the School Student Transport Scheme, please
photocopy and complete this survey by April 2003. When completed, fax it to the Manager, School Student Transport
Scheme Policy, on fax number 02 9268 2808.
Please tick the relevant answer.
GENERAL COMMENTS ABOUT THE MANUAL
We welcome any additional comments on the manual.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
IMPROVEMENTSTOTHE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SCHEME
We would also welcome your comments on improving the Schemes administration.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Thank you for your cooperation.
Transport NSW 227 Elizabeth Street,Sydney NSW 2000 (GPOBox 1620, Sydney NSW 2001)
Relevant? Easy to understand?
Section
Yes No Yes No
About the Scheme
Overview of the Scheme
Eligibility criteria and assessment
Students responsibilites
Subsidised services under SSTS
Appeals
The role of schools
Application process
Payment processes
Information for boarders
DETAILED ASSESSMENT
OVERALL ASSESSMENT
SCHOOL STUDENT
T R A N S P O RT SCHEME
Parramatta
Level 1, 1618 Wentworth Street
Parramatta NSW 2150
Locked Bag 5085
Parramatta NSW 2124
Telephone: 02 9891 8900
Toll free: 1800 227 774
Newcastle
Ground Floor, 239 King Street
(PO Box 871)
Newcastle NSW 2300
Telephone: 02 4929 7006
Toll free: 1800 049 983
Wollongong
Level 6, NRMA Building
221229 Crown Street
(PO Box 5215)
Wollongong NSW 2500
Telephone: 02 4224 3333
Toll free: 1800 049 961
TRANSPORT NSW
227 Elizabeth Street
Sydney NSW2000
Telephone: 02 9268 2800
Additional information about the School Student Transport Scheme is available at:
This information was current as of November 2002
CONTRACTS AND COMPLIANCE OFFICES

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