A Conveyance Allowance is paid to a parent/carer to assist in costs of driving their child to and from school or a pick- up location.
Parents/Carers should note the following regarding conveyance allowance:
- SBS will determine which form of transport assistance will be offered to a Parent/Carer.
- No payment is made for travel prior to the school term in which the Conveyance Allowance is approved. For example: if a conveyance allowance is approved from Term 2, 2013, a claim made for Term 1, 2013 or any other previous period will not be considered.
- It is not paid to a parent/carer who drops their child off at school on the way to work.
- It is a contribution towards the cost of fuel, tyres, repairs and maintenance of a private vehicle, and the amount payable is indexed annually.
- If a student has been withdrawn from a bus service due to behaviour issues and the parent/carer is receiving a conveyance allowance to drive that student to a pick-up location, the Conveyance Allowance may also be withdrawn.
Could I claim for a student attending kindergarten for half days?
Yes, when a kindergarten student attends kindergarten for half-days, a conveyance allowance may be provided for a return trip at midday.
How much will I be paid?
- The payment is calculated using the number of days a student actually attends school, multiplied by the kilometres travelled. The conveyance allowance rate for Term 1 2024 and Term 2 2024 is 55.60 cents per kilometre.
- Effective Term 3 2024 the new conveyance allowance rate is 57.81 cents per kilometre.
- Conveyance Allowances are paid in arrears as a lump sum at the end of each school term.
- Only one conveyance allowance will be paid per family.
- Conveyance Allowance payments will be audited on a regular basis.
- Should an overpayment occur for any reason, SBS will seek to recover the amount overpaid.
I've been asked to submit an attendance record, what do I need?
Where conveyance claims exceed $1000 for a term, claimants are required to submit an official record of the student’s attendance, which must be sourced directly from the school. If an acceptable record is not submitted, the claim will be rejected.
Examples of acceptable attendance records include:
- Official attendance reports extracted from the school's website
- Signed letters from a school's attendance officer (or other suitable staff member), featuring the school's letterhead
- Other official school sources
Examples of unacceptable attendance records include:
- Your own personal diary
- Excel spreadsheets you have compiled yourself
- Unverifiable emails
If you have more than one child approved for conveyance, you need to submit an attendance record for each child. If attendance records for only one child are submitted, claims will be processed on the assumption that only one child travelled.
When will I receive my allowance?
Claims may take at least 20 working days to process from the claim submission date.This may be longer during busy periods at the end of each term.
We thank you for your patience during the claims processing periods above, particularly busy periods due to the increased volume of claims received.
To minimise and avoid further delays, please make enquiries following the processing periods.
How do I apply?
Please complete an online application form for Transport Assistance.
How do I claim my allowance?
To claim a conveyance allowance, a parent/carer must submit a completed Conveyance Allowance Claim online form at the end of each term and submit it for SBS evaluation and calculation of the appropriate amount.
Claim forms should be submitted to SBS at the end of each school term.
What happens if there is a change in our details?
If a student’s circumstances change (contact details, emergency contact details) then a Change of Details form must be completed.
Please note that changes to address, school, medical condition or custodial details, will require the parent/carer to complete a new online application form for Transport Assistance.