Compliance with the Code is a condition of travel for the purposes of regulation 28 of the Passenger Transport Services Regulations 2023. If a student breaches the Code, the bus operator may act in accordance with these guidelines. Depending on the gravity of the offence, students may be refused travel on the bus for a period of time as determined by the bus operator.
The bus operator must provide written notification to the parents/carers before a student’s school bus privileges can be withdrawn. If the bus operator is unable to contact the parents/carers, they may provide written notice to the school so that the school can communicate with the parents/carers instead.
When suspending a student, the bus operator must adhere to the requirements of the Passenger Transport Services Regulations 2023. These Regulations require that a suspension must:
- be in writing
- specify which bus service the suspension relates to
- specify the period for which the student will be unable to travel on the bus service, noting that this period cannot exceed three months for the first occasion or six months in the case of a subsequent suspension.
The penalties in the table below reflect the category of inappropriate behaviour, offence and penalty. They ensure that all students who misbehave are dealt with in a fair and consistent manner.
Table of penalties for school student misbehaviour
| Category of inappropriate behaviour | Type of offence | Penalty |
|---|
| Nuisance and offensive behaviour |
First incident
|
Verbal warning
|
|---|
|
Repeated incident within four (4) school weeks
|
Written warning
|
|
Three or more incidents within ten (10) school weeks
|
Up to five days suspension
|
| Dangerous and destructive behaviour |
First incident
|
Written warning and possible suspension (up to five days)
|
|---|
|
Second and subsequent offences within the same school year
|
Up to four weeks suspension
|
| Highly dangerous, illegal, or life-threatening behaviour |
First incident
|
Up to three months suspension
|
|---|
| Second and subsequent incident | Up to six months suspension |
Procedures for managing inappropriate behaviour
Bus operators are responsible for managing inappropriate behaviour in accordance with the Code, and for maintaining accurate records of breaches and the actions taken.
Sample templates for bus drivers and bus operators to record incidents, document written warnings, suspension notices and meeting records are provided in the Bus operator templates section below.
Category 1 – Nuisance and offensive behaviour |
|---|
| First incident | Bus Driver - Give the student a verbal warning. Verbal warnings should be clear and specific.
- Can take immediate minor disciplinary action (e.g. student required to sit in designated seat).
- Record the student’s name, details of the incident and action taken using the Code’s incident report template.
- Provide the incident report to the operator within 24 hours or as soon as possible after.
Bus Operator - Retain copy of report for operator records.
|
|---|
| One or more documented incidents to proceed. |
|---|
| Repeated incident within four school weeks | Bus Driver - Can take immediate minor disciplinary action (e.g. student required to sit in designated seat).
- Advise student they will be receiving a written warning.
- Record the student’s name, details of the incident and action taken using the Code’s incident report template.
- Provide the incident report to the Operator within 24 hours or as soon as possible after.
Bus Operator - Must, within three days, provide copies of the written warning to the student, parent/carer and school using the Code’s written warning template.
- May initiate ongoing minor disciplinary action (e.g. student required to sit in designated seat on continued basis).
- May choose to meet with the school principal or nominee and parent/carer to discuss alternative
strategies (a record of the meeting must be kept using the Code’s meeting record template). - In the case of a student with disability, meet with the school nominee to discuss appropriate
strategies. - Must retain a copy of incident reports, meeting records and written warnings for operator records.
|
|---|
| Three or more documented incidents to proceed. |
|---|
| Three or more incidents within 10 school weeks | Bus Driver - Must record student’s name, date, details of the incident and action taken using the Code’s incident report template.
- Must provide the incident report to the Operator within 24 hours or as soon as possible after.
Bus Operator - Must, within 24 hours or as soon as possible after, provide copies of the suspension notice to the school, parent/carer and State Growth using the Code’s suspension notice template.
- It must be made clear to the student when the suspension or other disciplinary action begins.
- The suspension is to be a maximum of five days.
- May choose to meet with the school principal or nominee and parent/carer to discuss alternative
strategies (a record of the meeting must be kept using the Code’s meeting record template). - In the case of a student with disability, meet with the school nominee to discuss appropriate strategies.
- Must retain a copy of incident reports, meeting records and written warnings for operator records.
|
|---|
Category 2 – Dangerous and destructive behaviour |
|---|
| First incident | Bus Driver - Must record student’s name, date, details of the incident and action taken using the Code’s incident
report template. - Must provide the incident report to the Operator within 24 hours or as soon as possible after.
Bus Operator - Must, within 24 hours or as soon as possible after, provide copies of the written warning or suspension notice (if applicable) to the school, parent/carer and State Growth using the Code’s suspension notice template.
- It must be made clear to the student when the suspension or other disciplinary action begins.
- The suspension is to be a maximum of five days.
- May choose to meet with the school principal or nominee and parent/carer to discuss alternative strategies (a record of the meeting must be kept using the Code’s meeting record template).
- Must retain a copy of incident reports, meeting records and written warnings for operator records.
|
|---|
| One or more documented incidents to proceed. |
|---|
| Second and subsequent offences within school year | Bus Driver - Must record student’s name, date, details of the incident and action taken using the Code’s incident
report template. - Must provide the incident report to the Operator within 24 hours or as soon as possible after.
Bus Operator - Must, within 24 hours or as soon as possible after, provide copies of the suspension notice to the subsequent school, parent/carer and State Growth using the Code’s suspension notice template.
- It must be made clear to the student when the suspension or other disciplinary action begins.
- The suspension is to be a maximum of four weeks.
- May choose to meet with the school principal or nominee and parent/carer to discuss alternative
strategies (a record of the meeting must be kept using the Code’s meeting record template). - In the case of a student with disability, meet with the school nominee to discuss appropriate
strategies. - Must retain a copy of incident reports, meeting records and written warnings for operator records.
|
|---|
Category 3 – Highly dangerous, illegal or life-threatening behaviour |
|---|
| First incident | Bus Driver - Must take all reasonable measures to ensure the safety of passengers in line with the Operator’s Emergency Management Plan.
- Must, in an extreme emergency, contact Tasmania Police by way of telephone or radio and follow Police instructions.
- Must record student’s name, date, details of the incident and action taken using the Code’s incident report template.
- Must provide the incident report to the Operator within 24 hours or as soon as possible after.
Bus Operator - Must immediately advise the parent/carer and the school that the parent/carer must make alternative arrangements for the student’s travel and follow up with the written suspension notice within 24 hours or as soon as possible after.
- The suspension to be a maximum of three months.
- Must liaise with school principal or nominee to ensure the welfare of other students.
- May choose to meet with the school principal or nominee and parent/carer to discuss alternative strategies (a record of the meeting must be kept using the Code’s meeting record template).
- In the case of a student with disability, meet with the school nominee to discuss appropriate strategies.
- Must retain a copy of incident reports, meeting records and written warnings for operator records.
- Must immediately notify State Growth if Police are involved and provide State Growth with a copy of the suspension notice.
|
|---|
| One or more documented incidents to proceed. |
|---|
| Second and subsequent incidents | Bus Driver - Must take all reasonable measures to ensure the safety of passengers in line with the Operator’s Emergency Management Plan.
- Must, in an extreme emergency, contact Tasmania Police by way of telephone or radio and follow Police instructions.
- Must record student’s name, date, details of the incident and action taken using the Code’s incident report template.
- Must provide the incident report to the Operator within 24 hours or as soon as possible after.
Bus Operator - Must immediately advise the parent/carer and the school that the parent/carer must make alternative arrangements for the student’s travel and follow up with the written suspension notice within 24 hours or as soon as possible after.
- The suspension to be a maximum of six months.
- Must liaise with school principal or nominee to ensure the welfare of other students.
- May choose to meet with the school principal or nominee and parent/carer to discuss alternative strategies (a record of the meeting must be kept using the Code’s meeting record template).
- In the case of a student with disability, meet with the school nominee to discuss appropriate strategies.
- Must retain a copy of incident reports, meeting records and written warnings for operator records.
- Must immediately notify State Growth if Police are involved and provide State Growth with a copy of the suspension notice.
|
|---|
Review process
If parents/carers want information about the application of this Code to a behavioural incident they should contact the bus operator.
If a parents/carer does not agree with the application of the Code, they should discuss with the bus operator in the first instance.
If the parent/carer has attempted to resolve an issue directly with a bus operator, and believes the Code has not been applied correctly, they may write to State Growth, via:
- Email: ptscontracts@stategrowth.tas.gov.au
- Post: Passenger Transport, GPO Box 1242, Hobart TAS 7001
State Growth will review the procedure taken by the bus operator to ensure it aligns with the Code. In doing so, State Growth will require the bus operator to provide a copy of its records relating to the behaviour of the student (including CCTV where appropriate).