Safety is one of the most important factors to remember, regardless of how your child gets to and from school.
If your child travels on a bus, please encourage them to behave sensibly and safely whilst on the bus, and to accept reasonable direction from the bus driver. There is a code of behaviour that all student passengers must follow.
If you drive your child to school or the bus stop, you should abide by all parking restrictions and, if possible, park on the same side of the road as the school or bus stop. If you must park opposite the school or bus stop, get out of your vehicle and cross the road with your child.
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Walking is a free and healthy way to get to school. Consider the route that your child will take and make sure that they use the safest road crossings. Younger children should be accompanied by an adult until you are certain that they can safely manage the journey alone. Even for older children, it is advisable to walk with them at first on the route they will be using and point out any ‘Safety Houses’ in case your child ever feels uncomfortable or unsafe while walking alone. Many communities across the state participate in the Safety House Scheme. Your school or local police will have more information about Safety Houses in your area. Some schools have organised ‘walking buses’ where a number of children walk to and from school together, supervised by adults. The ‘bus’ picks children up at designated meeting points along the route. |
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BusesIf the school is not within walking distance, a bus service may be available. This may be free or it may be a fare-charging bus service. Contact your school to find out about the bus services available for your area. If your child will be using fare-charging bus services, they may be eligible for one of the following concessions:
Information and application forms for these concessions are available from Service Tasmania offices or apply online. For information on metropolitan bus services, including timetables and fares contact: Metro Tasmania (Hobart, Launceston, Burnie) or MerseyLink Bus Service (Devonport) For a copy of the the Code of Behaviour contact: Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources: Private TransportWhere a bus service is not available, or the nearest bus stop serving your closest school is at least 5 kilometres away from your home, you may need to use private transport to get your child to school. In this case you may be eligible to receive Conveyance Allowance, which helps with the cost of driving students between home and school or to and from the nearest bus stop, whichever is the closer. Information and application froms for this allowance are available from the Transport website or from Service Tasmania offices. |
This page has been produced by the Department of Education
Questions concerning its content may be directed by email to ServiceCentre@education.tas.gov.au or telephone 1800 816 057.
This page was last modified on 20th April 2009. The URL for this page is: http://www.education.tas.gov.au/school/parents/travelling.
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