Victorian Government to decide on rural school bus public access

Victoria’s rural school bus network could become the answer to regional public transport scarcity after a parliamentary inquiry tabled its findings.

Victoria’s rural and regional school bus operators are waiting for a state government announcement which could dramatically change how people travel in the regions.

A 2021 parliamentary inquiry into the use of school buses for non-students gathered 147 submissions, with the inquiry committee tabling it’s report which detailed 12 findings and nine recommendations.

Some the key recommendations included allowing school bus networks to allocate seating for the general public at the front of the bus, where capacity allows.

Other recommendations included improved safety measures, such as the installation of CCTV cameras and non-student passenger reference checks, if bus network access was widened.

Bus Association Victoria executive director Dr Chris Lowe urged the state government to expand the rural school bus program to include non-students.

“Our association, for decades now, has been calling for a greater degree of access to the rural school bus network,” he said.

“We think the rural school bus should not be exclusive, and it should be available to all people.

“Across rural Australia public transport is scarce and if you don’t have a car or access to a car it can be very isolating and people can be stuck.

“But we have this school bus network, which travels to all towns no matter how small.

“People should be able to get on that bus and go to that medical appointment or go to TAFE.

“We believe the social and economic benefits of allowing non-students to access the transport would be significant.”

The Bus Association Victoria proposed potential non-student passengers would be subject to a fee that would be paid to the state government.

CCTV and GPS systems would be installed to monitor safety on the school buses.

The Association also proposed each non-student traveller would be subject to community reference checks, meaning no unauthorised travellers would be able to ride on the buses.

“By expanding this service these buses would be available to the public in areas where there has historically been no public transport,” Dr Lowe said.

“In rural Victorian townships, everybody knows everybody and so we are talking about very isolated, small rural farming communities where no one is a stranger.

“With a community approval system, led by the schools, this would ensure everyone’s safety.”

As the 2022 school year begins, a Department of Education and Training spokeswoman said the state government was assessing the report, with their response due on May 30 this year.

The spokeswoman said the state government’s main priority was too work with the Department of Transport and local schools across the state to make sure the school bus services “in regional Victoria are fair, equitable and accessible for all students”.