Executive Update

School Bus Services | Regional Reviews | Service SA | CBD Parking

The last few months of 2024 have again been productive for the BusSA Board and team as we’ve continued our support and advocacy for our bus and coach operator members. A quick snapshot of these recent member initiatives includes:

• BusSA presented our voluntary Safety Management System (SMS) Framework at the SMS Briefing Event on 11 October to support members and other bus and coach operators in South Australia to enhance safety systems where needed, associated with the NHVL Chain of Responsibility and SMS Framework requirements. The SMS Framework was very well received by all in attendance and commended by the NHVR and Department for Education. BusSA has continued to support members through the process, including 1 on 1 meetings, members are encouraged to contact me with any queries. An online workshop is planned for January 22, 2025.
• Launched the new BusSAFE Program at the National Bus Show in Brisbane on 17 and 18 September. BusSA will now make the BusSAFE Program and materials available to all members (as a member benefit). Please see further details below.       
• Continued to progress Driver and Operator Accreditation services and outcomes for members amid the closure of Mile End Service SA. While BusSA commends ServiceSA management for their direct support of members where requested, we are still being made aware of issues with DA knowledge and service at suburban service centres. Please let me know any issues or feedback that I can follow up.
• Met with Department for Education working group to progress operational and safety matters, plus released a member school bus contract survey to Research, understand and agree on the BusSA Member Position to advocate to Department for Education, these survey results will be presented and discussed at a member meeting planned for January 22, 2025. Please see Department for Education update below.
• Met with BusSA Regional Working Group and then SAPTA to understand aim, scope and timing for upcoming Regional Area Service Reviews. We continue working on BusSA position statement and engaging with likeminded ‘Partners’ in preparation for the Reviews. See SAPTA update below.  
• Met with BusSA Tour and Charter Working Group and then City of Adelaide to raise coach parking issues in CBD, and are now working toward immediate and short term coach parking solutions. See further detail below.  
• Participated in an Executive Roundtable and made a submission to the Government’s Future of transport – 30 Year Transport Strategy.  
• Released BusSA’s 2023/24 Annual Report. 

I am enthused by our strong engagement with SAPTA and Minister Koutsantonis and the Department for Education and Minister Boyer over the year as we progress these critical upcoming member issues mentioned above in 2025.
 
As the year closes, I sincerely thank the BusSA Board, Working Groups, all members and Partners for your strong engagement with and support of BusSA and our member initiatives.
 
Please contact me should you have any issues, feedback or queries.

I wish you all the best for the upcoming festive season and an enjoyable break.

Regards 

Craig Spurr
Executive Director
E: cspurr@bussa.asn.au
M: 0433 553 875

Save the Date!

2025 BusSA Annual Conference – Saturday May 17. Welcome drinks – Friday May 16. 

Government and Advocacy Update and Insights  

Department for Education | SAPTA | City of Adelaide | BusSAFE Program | AED’s in Buses

 
Department for Education

• Driver requirements final version
• Approval to travel and drop off for unsupervised students – policy and approval form to be finalised, it will be administered by Department/Schools not bus operators
• CCTV Policy
• Student Behaviour Guidelines
• Emergency Management Guide (for drivers and site)
• Maintenance and Safety Guide
• Bus specification for short term replacement/contingency buses – TSU’s aim is for all buses being used for school bus services to meet full specifications, if an operator foresees or has issue with this then they should advise the TSU for approval.   

SAPTA/Department of Infrastructure and Transport.

BusSA briefed both SAPTA and Minister Koutsantonis on BusSA’s SMS and Event. Both commended the initiative, however disappointingly SAPTA declined to attend the SMS Briefing Event on 11 October.
 
Craig also met with SAPTA: Michelle Spagnoletti, Daniel Mansour, Joanne Antunez regarding the upcoming Regional Area Service Reviews:

• Michelle Spagnoletti (Integrated Transport and Bus Operations Mgr) to lead Reviews over 6 month period
• Consultant to be confirmed and review consultation notice should be released by Minister Koutsantonis in late 2024/early 2025.  
• BusSA due to meet with Minister Koutsantonis and SAPTA in February 2025 as lead into the Reviews.

BusSA has lead joint advocacy efforts with LGA, RDA, SA Chamber of Commerce and Local Councils to understand and align aims for the Regional Reviews. A briefing meeting was held on December 12 (see Zoom picture below) and you can view BusSA’s position statement and research here.

 

 
Department for Health – AED’s on buses

The Automated External Defibrillators (Public Access) Act 2022 (the Act) is due to come into effect on January 1, 2025. BusSA has advocacted and consulted to understand the Acts application for the bus and coach industry in SA. The below update has been provided recently by the AED Project Team at the Dept for Health (and affirmed by Dept for Education and SAPTA):
 
To summarise: if an accredited bus operates a service with regular routes and timetables, and the operator provides the service in accordance with terms and conditions on which the service is to be operated within the State as per a service contract (unless a declaration is made by the Minister under reg 4A that the service is excluded from the definition) – the bus will require an AED in accordance with the AED Act.
 
Obligations for Crown and non-Crown owned prescribed vehicles will come into operation on 1 January 2026, along with the obligations of all non-Crown owned in scope buildings and facilities.
 
‘Bus’ is defined to mean a motor vehicle built mainly to carry people that seats over 14 adults (including the driver). Noting the requirement for the passengers to be adults, school buses carrying children are not within scope of section 8 of the Act.
 
‘Public bus’, as defined in the AED Act is a bus engaged in regular passenger services under the Passenger Transport Act 1994 (PS Act). As you have identified under the PS Act, ‘regular passenger service’ means a passenger transport service conducted according to regular routes and timetables (or any other service prescribed by the Regs).
 
Accordingly, a regular passenger service includes any bus service conducted according to regular routes and timetables (this is not exclusive to SA public buses operating a regional and metro). The operator of a regular passenger service must be accredited under s 27 of the PS Act and must have an Agreement with the Minister (for DIT) to provide regular passenger services in accordance with the terms and conditions on which the service is to be operated within the State.
 
To support the community’s understanding of the AED legislation, the Department for Health and Wellbeing has created a user-friendly Best Practice Guide to assist with clarifying legislative requirements. This Guide is scheduled to be available on the SA Health AED Webpage in December 2024.

City of Adelaide – Tour and Charter Parking

Over the past few months BusSA raised the issue that current tour/charter bus and coach parking provisions in the City of Adelaide (CoA) are insufficient and reasonable provisions have not been considered or worked though in a co-ordinated way in recent years.
 
BusSA lead representation for the Bus and Coach, Tour and Charter Industry; supported by Tourism Industry Council SA, South Australian Tourism Commission and Motor Trade Association.
 
BusSA and member operators met with CoA Infrastructure and Regulation Directors at the end of September to work proactively and collaboratively with CoA to understand why increased compliance activity and to realise safe and efficient drop off and pick up of passengers to facilitate patronage of city businesses and attractions.
 
BusSA, SAPTA and CoA have worked towards immediate and short/medium term outcomes.. BusSA has developed and issued a parking map to members and confirmed approx. 10 new coach parking spaces with CoA and SAPTA and will communicate these to members as they become signed and available to ensure safety, service and compliance. 
 

 

BusSAFE Program now available to all BusSA members

BusSA has been delivering BusSAFE education sessions to regional/rural public school  students on behalf of the Department for Education since 2022.   
 
BusSA/BusSAFE will now also provide all the tools members need to have staff ready to deliver sessions to schools in your private networks. Interested operators will be provided with all the materials and training necessary to start delivering sessions to schools. All BusSAFE seek in return is for session details and feedback to be recorded via a central system to help ensure the effectiveness of the program.
 
BusSAFE is BusSA’s bus safety education program led by the bus industry, tailored for regional/rural and other students for whom bus travel to and from school is a daily necessity.
 
BusSAFE sessions aim to:

• educate students to make safe, healthy choices in and around buses
• teach the importance of staying alert at the bus stop or drop off area
• demonstrate safe seatbelt and headphone/phone use
• encourage respectful behaviour toward drivers and fellow passengers
• examine sustainability and the community benefits of bus travel
• promote bus safety as a shared responsibility
• show students what to do in an emergency.

If you are interested in being provided the BusSAFE materials and presenter training please contact Fiona Dalton at admin@bussa.asn.au   

BusSA Gold Partner News  – Scania 

Highly successful Scania Touring range expands with arrival of the 6×2 three-axle variant.
 
Building on the success of the Scania Touring 4×2 high floor coach in the Australian market since its launch in late 2018, the company now introduces a second configuration, a 6×2 three-axle variant.
 
Like the original 4×2 Touring, the 6×2 is a Scania from bumper to bumper, making servicing and repairs easier and quicker for operators. The handsome Scania body is built in Asia on a bespoke production line under strict quality control carried out by Scania’s own teams. 
 
In Australia, the Touring has made its mark in school and charter work, aided by its nine cubic metres of underfloor luggage space. In addition, some tourism operators have also turned to the Touring. The earliest Tourings introduced to Australia have proven to be reliable and frugal in service and now command high resale values.
 
The new three-axle coach is ideal for long-distance touring or interstate runs. In addition to the powerful and highly fuel efficient 500 hp six-cylinder Scania engine, the Touring 6×2 comes with a comprehensive array of state-of-the-art Advanced Driver Assistance Systems to promote greater road safety, as well as a new digital dashboard, and the ability to be fitted with a side-loading wheelchair lift for full disabled/elderly and infant access.
 
Find out more at Scania.com.au or contact Scania’s dedicated Bus and Coach sales team on 03 9217 3300

BusSA Gold Partner News  – BLK Bus and Coach Sales

BLK Bus & Coach Sales would like to welcome aboard; Jack Peters as the new National Aftersales & Technical Support Manager to the team. Jack comes with a long history in the Bus and Heavy Vehicle Industry with a great focus on customer service.
 
BLK also has for immediate delivery stock of our President 2 Luxury Coaches in both 53 Recliner and 57 Fixed seating configuration.
 
For any information relating to BLK vehicles, please contact Mark or David at sales@blkauto.com.au

BusSA Silver Partner News  – Challenger Bus and Coach

Challenger Bus and Coach have had a busy 2024, with 2025 set to be even busier. See above a range of our vehicle models currently on offer.
 
We have other models in development, set for release in 2025. Stay tuned, and click here to find out more.