Code Of Conduct

When completing an application form for free travel, parents are required by the Department of Transport to read the Code Of Conduct before completing the form. CODE OF CONDUCT FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS ON BUSES TO ENSURE YOUR SAFETY AND THE COMFORT OF OTHER PASSENGERS Students will:

• Behave safely at all times.
• Respect the needs and comfort of other passengers.
• Behave appropriately at all times (eg 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 driver's instructions about safety on the bus (eg 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 written 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.

Bus Pass Information

THE SCHOOL STUDENT TRANSPORT SCHEME ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for subsidised travel under the School Student Transport Scheme (SSSTS) students will:

1. be a resident of NSW;
2. be 4 years 6 months of age or older;
3. be an infant student; i.e. attending Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 classes, irrespective of the distance from home to school; be a primary student (Year 3-6), and reside more than 1.6 kilometres (radial distance) from the school attended, measured on a radius from the centre of the school site, or 2.3 kilometres or more by the most direct practicable walking route to the nearest point of physical entry to the school;
4. be a secondary student (Year 7-12), and reside more than 2.0 kilometres (radial distance) from the school attended, measured on a radius from the centre of the school site, or 2.9 kilometres or more by the most direct practicable walking route to the nearest point of physical entry to the school;
5. be enrolled at a registered day school;
6. be eligible for a free government education. Students who are not eligible for a free government education are not eligible for subsidised travel.

HOW TO APPLY FOR FREE TRAVEL

1. Application forms are available from the school or TAFE and must be completed by a parent or guardian. TAFE students should complete and sign their own forms.
2. The completed form is then returned to the school or TAFE the student is enrolled at.
3. The schools will forward the application onto Port Stephens Coaches who will assess that the students meet the distance eligibility criteria.
4. If eligible, Port Stephens Coaches will issue the student with a bus pass.

NEW APPLICATIONS MUST BE COMPLETED WHEN A STUDENT...

• Enrols in Kindergarten,
• Progresses from Year 2 to 3,
• Progresses from Year 6 to 7,
• Changes name, address or school.

APPEALS PROCESS

1. Parents/guardians of students deemed ineligible by their
   school or local transport operator may apply to the
   Department of Transport for a review of that decision.
2. Should the Deptartment of Transport not approve subsidised
   travel and the applicant(s) considers that there are special
   circumstances, such as safety and/or hardship issues
   associated with their case, they may appeal the Department's
   decision. Appeals are heard by an independent SSTS
   Appeals Panel which considers each case on its individual
   merits.

USE OF PASS ISSUED TO ELIGIBLE STUDENTS

1. Students must abide by the Code of Conduct.
2. School travel is only available between home and school for school attendance and is available on school days only.
3. Passes are to be used for only one forward and one return trip per school day.
4. Passes are not transferable and must be shown on demand.
5. Travel by bus is subject to the conditions laid down by the Department of Transport governing the carriage of passengers on public transport.
6. No child will be denied travel in circumstances where they have lost or forgotten their subsidised travel pass.
7. Journeys must commence and finish only at the points nominated on this application without a break of journey.

CONDITIONS OF ISSUE OF SUBSIDISED TRAVEL

1. You agree to the Department of Transport and its auditors contacting the school attended to confirm the details provided in this application from time to time.
   
2. The Department of Transport reserves the right to withdraw subsidised travel:
   
   • if investigation shows the student to be ineligible. Following notification to the parent/guardian any issued pass must be surrendered to the school principal, or the bus proprietor, and subsidised travel cease forthwith.
     
   • subject to breaches of the Code of Conduct and following notification to the school and parents/guardians.

TERM PASSES

Term passes are available for students who are not eligible for free travel. To obtain a cost please call our office on 02 4982 2940 during office hours. Term passes can be obtained from our office or by sending a cheque with the completed form to Port Stephens Coaches, 17 Port Stephens Drive, Anna Bay NSW 2316.

REPLACEMENT PASSES

Parents or guardians should apply for a replacement bus pass. Cost is $8.00. Replacement passes can be purchased from our depot at 17 Port Stephens Drive, Anna Bay during office hours or a cheque along with a completed form posted to Port Stephens Coaches, 17 Port Stephens Drive, Anna Bay NSW 2316.