School Bus Advisory Committee (SBAC)
The role of a School Bus Advisory Committee (SBAC) is to support the Public Transport Authority (PTA) in the delivery of Student Transport Assistance. The SBAC acts in an advisory capacity only where the PTA retain decision making authority for Student Transport Assistance Policy (STAP) framework outcomes.
The function of the SBAC is to provide:
- Relevant local knowledge on matters pertaining to their community and local school bus services. This can include school bus routes and bus stops.
- Provide advice to PTA in service reviews to inform the number of services and size of bus. This can include canvassing families with pre-school age children to determine future student numbers.
- Applications for modifications to routes (e.g. spurs, extensions, accessibility) for better route designs.
- Act as the local community contact for the PTA.
SBACs should note the Government’s STAP framework is intended to apply equitably across the State. Transport solution outcomes must be applied as uniformly in keeping with the policy framework. Therefore, solutions forwarded for consideration need to bear this principle in mind.
SBACs must consider issues raised carefully,and closely scrutinize any requests that appear to be totally outside policy.
All positions on SBACs are voluntary and the committees should, where possible, be comprised of:
Parents of Eligible Students who attend the schools serviced by the routes, and
Representatives of the schools serviced by the routes e.g. Principal.
School bus contractors can also be part of the committee.
SBACs provide for a consultative decision-making process providing valuable input to inform decisions which are made by the PTA. Decisions will be consistent with the application of the STAP. Where the SBAC or individuals are not satisfied with and outcome and they believe the decision is flawed and not simply unfavourable there should be further engagement with the PTA or SBACs can utilise the Appeals process.
While local communities can write to their local member of Parliament to raise issues of concern at any time as part of their constituency, it is not appropriate for members of parliament to be on SBACs. The two functions should be kept separate.
To ensure the PTA is aware of where communities have established a SBAC please register your SBAC with the PTA at schoolbus@pta.wa.gov.au using the email Subject of ‘Registration of School Bus Advisory Committee – Location’.