Types of bus service

Commercial bus service

A bus service that is:

• a route bus service
• a demand responsive bus service
• a tour and charter bus service
• a courtesy bus service (other than a non-commercial courtesy bus service)
• a prescribed class of commercial bus service
• declared by Bus Safety Victoria to be a commercial bus service.
• a hire and drive bus service using a bus with seating positions for 10 or more passengers including the drive
• a council using a bus with seating positions for 10 or more passengers including the drive

An operator who operates a bus with 10 seats or more (including the driver) and operates a commercial or a local bus service will need to be accredited.

Local bus service

A bus service that carries passengers on a bus with 13 or more adult seats (including the driver). The service is operated on a regular basis or subject to demand, and is available for use by the public, not operated for hire or reward.

An example of a local bus service is a council that provides a service along a fixed route at no cost and is available to the public.

An operator who operates a bus with 13 seats or more (including the driver) and operates a commercial or a local bus service will need to be accredited.

Community and private bus service

A community and private bus service in connection with the activities of a religious, educational, health, welfare, philanthropic, sporting or social body using a bus with 24 or more seating positions.

However, if you are in this category and the bus that you use has fewer than 24 seating positions, and you are not transporting school aged children or people who require special care or support, you are exempt from the requirement to be accredited. This exemption is automatic – you don’t need to apply for exemption.

School bus service

This table describes the types of bus service that can be operated and the bus operator accreditation requirement. The last column provides an explanation of associated legislation.

Scenario	Requirement	Reason
Government contracted school service, where the Victorian Government contracts a bus operator to transport school students to and from school.	Accreditation	This is a commercial bus service under the Bus Safety Act.
School bus services funded by the school, where the school itself has a private arrangement where it pays a bus operator to provide to and from school transport services.	Accreditation	This is a commercial bus service under the Bus Safety Act.
Schools operating their own bus service, where students are not charged, and a school operates the bus/es to transport school students to and from school for no fee or a fee for cost recovery only.	Accreditation	This is a community and private bus service under the Bus Safety Act.
Schools operating their own bus solely for school related activities (e.g. excursions) where students are not charged and the school (government or private) owns and operates a bus that is used only to transport school students and staff on school excursions, etc., but does NOT provide to and from school transport services.	Accreditation	This is a community and private bus service under the Bus Safety Act.
Schools operating their own bus service, where students are charged a fee to access to and from school bus services operated by the school.	Accreditation	This is a commercial bus service under the Bus Safety Act.