The School Student Transport Scheme Code of Conduct

Transport of a student may be suspended or cancelled if that student misbehaves or contravenes the Department of Transport's School Student Transport Scheme Code of Conduct.

The safety and comfort of all passengers travelling on buses are of the utmost importance. This information is a reminder to all school students and their parents and carers that some behaviour is unacceptable on buses, or any other form of public transport.

All students travelling on buses should follow a simple "Code of Conduct", shown below, to help ensure the safety and comfort of everyone on board.

Please discuss these simple rules with your children, so they understand what they should and should not do.

If students do misbehave on buses, they may incur the penalties set out below.

These penalties have been introduced so that all students who misbehave can be dealt with in a fair and consistent manner, no matter which bus operator or school is involved. The penalties reflect the seriousness of the misbehaviour. They range from short-term cancellation of the student's free bus travel to civil court action and police prosecution.

Please make sure all your children read this information so that they understand the consequences of misbehaving on a school bus or any other bus.

Offensive behaviour

Like:

Offensive language, spitting, throwing objects inside the bus, eating on the bus, distracting the driver with unreasonable noise, or failing to show a bus pass.

May lead to:

The loss of free school travel privileges for up to ten school days.

Dangerous behaviour

Like:

Allowing any part of the student's body to protrude from the bus, or causing discomfort and distress to other passengers.

May lead to:

The loss of free school travel privileges for up to ten school weeks.

Very dangerous behaviour

Like:

Throwing objects from the bus, fighting, or damaging or destroying bus property.

Will lead to:

The loss of free school travel privileges for up to ten school weeks, and may also lead to civil court action or police prosecution.

How penalties are decided

If a student's behaviour leads a bus operator to contact the parents and the school seeking disciplinary action under this code, a clearly marked interim pass will be issued to the student, except in cases where the behaviour was life-threatening.

This interim pass temporarily replaces the student's normal free travel pass. It allows free travel to continue for a further seven days, while a decision is made about whether there should be a penalty and what it should be.

This decision is made through consultations between the student's parents or carers and the bus operator and school principal. Free travel privileges may be withdrawn only after these discussions have occurred.

If you think your child has been treated unfairly

Please contact the bus operator. If you are still not satisfied, please contact the nearest office of the Department of Transport. Toll-free phone calls can be made to the Wollongong and Southern NSW Region office on 1800 049 961.

Please note that:

In addition to any penalties imposed under this code, the school principal may take other action under the school's Fair Discipline Code or student welfare policy.

School Student Transport Scheme Code of Conduct

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.
Respect bus property by not marking or damaging it.
Always follow instructions about safety on the bus.
Show their bus pass or ticket to the driver on boarding and when requested.

Students will not:

Distract the driver except in an emergency.
Smoke, eat or drink on the bus.
Allow any part of their body to protrude from the bus.
Fight, spit, use offensive language or place their feet on the seats.
Throw any article inside, or out of, the bus.
Alter, deface, misuse or fraudulently obtain a bus pass.
Give, lend or transfer their bus pass to another student.

~ Top ~