School Buses

Buses are recognised in Australia as the safest form of Road Transport, and you can rest assured that Bus Queensland’s drivers are well trained to deliver your child safely to school.

Here you will find information on obtaining a bus pass, which school bus routes are available, services for students with disabilities and the code of conduct for school students travelling on buses.

If you need more information or have school related enquiries, please email us at customers@busqld.com.au.

School Bus Passes

Bus passes are available for students eligible for bus transport assistance. There are two types of bus transport assistance available to eligible students.
These are:

• Distance based assistance

• Safety-net assistance

STAS Travel Assistance Categories

Category 1: Distance-Based Assistance

This category supports students based on how far they live from their nearest appropriate school.

Eligibility Overview:

• Primary students at government schools must reside over 3.2 km away

• Secondary students at government schools must reside over 4.8 km away
  These students may qualify for free school bus travel

• Students attending non-government schools must live beyond the same distance thresholds from both the nearest state and non-state schools of the same type.

All distances are calculated using the shortest safe driving route to the closest school offering the appropriate year level.

Key Points to Remember:

• Free travel is granted only when attending the closest state school and meeting all distance and eligibility criteria.

• Go Cards apply when students do not meet eligible criteria.
  

Category 2: Safety-Net Assistance

This option assists families who may not meet distance requirements but are experiencing financial hardship.

To qualify, the student must be listed on one of the following:

• A valid Health Care Card issued by Centrelink

• A valid Pensioner Concession Card issued by Centrelink

• A Veterans’ Affairs Pensioner Concession Card

• Be under a current Child Protection Order - paper application only

A Top-Up Fare may still apply, depending on the suburb and school attended.

Students already receiving STAS under another category are not eligible for Safety-Net assistance.
Applications must be submitted in the name of the concession cardholder and must include all necessary supporting documents.
A signed declaration is also required to allow CentreLink data verification. Without this, applications cannot be processed.

To apply for your school bus pass, click the ‘Apply for a Bus Pass Online’ button below.

To identify schools which Bus Qld service, click the ‘List of Schools by Operator’ button below.

FAQ - School Bus Passes

What happens next?

After you have submitted your application on the Qld Govt website, Bus Queensland can issue interim approval to distance eligible applicants, and will be able to let you know how long your bus pass will take to be ready.
However, final approval will be issued in writing by the department of transport and main roads.

Travelling with a bus pass

1. The pass must be produced to the driver upon request. Smart card users in Toowoomba need to touch on when boarding and touch of when alighting the bus.

2. Passes are not transferable.

3. Parents will be required to pay a replacement fee of $17.20 (cash or EFTPOS) for lost passes at the:

   • Bus Qld Park Ridge depot - 3842 Mt Lindesay Highway Park Ridge for bus passes issued from the Park Ridge, Ipswich, or Laidley regions.

   • Bus Qld Toowoomba depot - 308 Taylor St, Glenvale for bus passes issued from the Toowoomba region.

4. Damaged passes will be replaced at a nominal fee provided the damaged pass is produced and identifiable.

5. When students cease using the bus service, passes must be returned to the bus company immediately.

6. Excess fares are to be paid directly to the transport operator.

How do I renew my student’s bus pass?

Each year, new bus passes will be posted to all approved bus pass holders.
Distance eligible students usually receive ongoing approval from the department of transport and main roads until they either change address or school, or enrol in high school - even if it is the same school attended.
Parents of safety-net eligible students will receive approval for assistance on a yearly basis.

What if my student isn’t eligible for a bus pass?

Students that are not eligible for a bus pass will need to pay for a fare using:

• A go card on Translink services in the Ipswich and Park Ridge regions.

• Cash on Fares Based or Kilometric STAS routes in the Park Ridge, and Laidley regions.

• Prepaid smart card on Toowoomba services.

School Codes of Conduct

Students have an obligation to follow a set of behavioural guidelines when travelling on school buses. Most students are well behaved, but a minority will misbehave. This can affect the ability of a driver to concentrate, and is a safety concern for Bus Operators. To address this, DTMR have developed the code of conduct for students travelling on buses.

Safe Bus Travel Video

 Services for Students with Disabilities

Transport assistance may be provided by Education Queensland for students with disabilities where it is warranted by the needs of the individual student and by the circumstances of the family. For details of the assistance available contact Education Queensland.

If you would like to know more about the what services we offer for students with disabilities, please contact us.