- Application form
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Things to know before applying
An applicant may be any of the following:
- an individual person
- a body corporate (company, registered incorporated association, co-operative or other body corporate)
- a partnership
- an unincorporated body or association.
Before applying, you:
- should determine whether you need to be accredited
- must be able to demonstrate you have the competence and capacity to operate a commercial or local bus service safely
- should consider the accreditation eligibility factors relating to criminal offences, previous bus operator accreditation and insolvency
- must prepare and provide the supporting documentation required as part of the application. This includes competency and capacity documents, police checks, proof of identification, bus roadworthy certificates and certificates of business registration.
If you’re unsure how the requirements and eligibility relate to your bus service and circumstances, you can contact us on 1800 223 022 for advice.
Application form
Please note this form is to be used for individual applicants ONLY.
Group applicants must submit their application via email or post using this form.
Safe Transport Victoria will send you an acknowledgement that your application has been received.
You may be required to provide more information.
When all information has been received and payment has cleared, ST VIC will commence assessing the application and determine whether to approve your accreditation. The Safety Director has up to three months to determine and may extend the determination if necessary.
If your application is approved, you will receive a bus operator accreditation certificate. Your accreditation is ongoing unless cancelled, suspended or surrendered.
If refused, you will be notified in writing, stating the reasons for refusal and your right to appeal the decision at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
Safe Transport Victoria (ST Vic) collects and holds the personal information provided in this application to assist the Director, Transport Safety (Safety Director) to administer the Bus Safety Act 2009 (Vic) and Bus Safety Regulations 2020 (Vic).
ST Vic is committed to protecting personal information in accordance with its obligations under the Bus Safety Act 2009 (Vic). The personal information provided in this application may be disclosed to other government agencies in accordance with the Bus Safety Act 2009 (Vic) and the Transport Integration Act 2010 (Vic).
It is an offence under the Bus Safety Act 2009 (Vic) to give information that is false or misleading in relation to an application.
The individuals whose personal information is collected on this application have a right to seek access to this personal information and to seek correction of any error in the personal information held. All individuals whose personal information is included with this application should be informed of this fact.
For more information on privacy please refer to ST Vic’s privacy statement at safetransport.vic.gov.au/privacy.
Determining whether you need to be accredited
The Bus Safety Act 2009 (Vic) requires the accreditation of all operators of a commercial or local bus service which operates a bus with seating positions for 13 or more adults (including the driver).
Description of bus services requiring accreditation
Commercial bus service
A commercial bus service operates one of the following services:
| Bus service | Description | Example |
| Route bus | A regular service operated for hire or reward for passengers to travel along a fixed route on a regular basis. | Bus 96 that travels the same route each day. |
| Demand responsive | A regular service that operates for hire or reward in a specific area on a regular basis where the route is determined by the demands of the passengers and is not fixed. Each passenger is charged a separate fare. | Airport shuttle where passengers are picked up in different suburbs. |
| Tour and charter | A service that operates for hire or reward either to transport tourists by a bus to a common destination; or to carry a group of passengers that has booked the bus for a purpose. The group is charged one fee for the bus rather than a separate fee for each passenger. | A bus hired for the purpose of transporting guests from a wedding ceremony to the wedding reception. |
| Courtesy bus (other than a non-commercial courtesy bus service) | A service operated for any consideration or in the course of any trade or business.
|
Used by a business to carry customers or patrons of the business.
A hotel which offers a free bus service to patrons. A car park which offers a free shuttle service to patrons. A free bus services that transports passengers holding tickets to an event to the grounds of the event. |
Local bus service
| Bus service | Description | Example |
| Local | Operates on a regular basis or subject to demand, is available for use by the general public and is not operated for hire or reward but may accept passenger donations. | A bus service provided by a local council or a housing authority for the benefit of residents in a locality or members of the general public. |
If the service you intend to operate does not meet any of the above categories, you may need to be registered instead of accredited.
The Bus Safety Act 2009 (Vic) requires the registration of all operators of:
- any bus service which operates one or more buses with 10 to 12 seats for adults (including the driver) to provide a service for the transport of passengers by road; or
- a bus service which operates one or more buses with 13 or more seats (including the driver) to provide a service for the transport of passengers by road that does not fall under the definition of a commercial bus service or local bus service.
Description of bus services requiring registration
| Bus service | Description | Example |
| Community and private bus service | A service which carries passengers for or in connection with the activities of a religious, educational, health, welfare, philanthropic, sporting or social body. To operate this type of service, the bus operator must receive no consideration, or consideration which is of no greater value than the costs incurred in making the journey. | A school transporting students to and from school. |
| Non-commercial courtesy bus service | A service where the operator does not derive any profit from the provision of the service. | A bus operated by a business to transport its own employees from an office to a work-site. |
| Hire and drive bus service | A service which hires out buses for a fixed period of time for valuable consideration on the condition that the bus will be driven during that period of time by the person who hired the bus, or by another person on behalf of the hirer. The service does not provide a driver with the bus. | A bus rental business. |
| Commercial minibus service | A route service, demand responsive or tour and charter bus service operating a bus built with seating for 10, 11 or 12 adults (including the driver). | |
| Route bus. A regular service operated for hire or reward for passengers to travel along a fixed route on a regular basis. | A minibus used for as an airport shuttle where passengers are picked up from route locations. | |
| Demand responsive. A regular service that operates for hire or reward in a specific area where the route is determined by the demands of the passengers and is not fixed. Each passenger is charged a separate fare. | A minibus used for an airport shuttle where passengers are picked up in different suburbs, dependent on demands of customers. | |
| Tour and charter. A service that operates for hire or reward either to transport tourists by a bus to a common destination; or to carry a group of passengers that have booked the bus for a purpose. The group is charged one fee for the bus rather than a separate fee for each passenger. | A minibus hired for the purpose of transporting guests from a wedding ceremony to the wedding reception. |
Competency and Capacity
As part of this application for accreditation, you must demonstrate your competency and capacity to safely operate a commercial or local bus service.
Competency
There are three methods to demonstrate your competency.
| Method 1 | Undertaking and successfully completing the Bus Safety Management Program (formerly Safety Management Course for Bus Operators) provided by the Institute of Transport Studies, Monash University | An individual person or the responsible person must have successfully completed the two subjects 5101 Introduction to Bus and Coach Safety and 5102 Safety Risk Management Bus and Coach Operations.
As part of your application, you will need to provide a training certificate evidencing your successful completion of the course. |
| OR | ||
| Method 2 | Provide a statement of competence and evidence | The statement of competence must evidence you have sufficient knowledge, understanding and skills against specific criteria for operating a bus service. The criteria is the same as the learning outcomes achieved by completing the Bus Safety Management Program (formerly Safety Management Course for Bus Operators). For further information on what needs to be addressed in the statement, refer to the Methods of Demonstrating Competence Policy available on the ST VIC website. |
| OR | ||
| Method 3 | Provide other information and evidence | If you have previously safely operated a bus service of the same scale and complexity, you can provide a detailed description to evidence your skills and knowledge to safely operate a bus service. Your description must address certain criteria. Refer to the Methods of Demonstrating Competence Policy available on the ST VIC website. |
Capacity
To demonstrate your capacity to safely operate a bus service, you must provide a copy of your:
| Management Information System (MIS) | Your system for managing information about your bus service including operating conditions, risks, incidents, and determined safety objectives. For detailed information on what needs to be included in an MIS, refer to the guide Management Information System for Accredited Bus Operators and other templates available from the ST VIC website. |
| Maintenance Management System (MMS) | Your system for managing maintenance to ensure each bus is safe and roadworthy to carry passengers. For detailed information on what needs to be included in an MMS, refer to the guide Maintenance Management Systems for Accredited Bus Operators and other templates available from the ST VIC website. |
Relevant persons
| Type of applicant | Relevant persons are: |
| Individual | The individual who is involved, or takes part, in the management of the bus service to which the accreditation relates. |
| Body corporate
A body corporate includes: · An incorporated body · A company within the meaning of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) · A co-operative registered under the Co-operatives Act 1996 (Vic) including an association or federation · An incorporated association incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 · A body corporate other than a company, co-operative or incorporated association |
Company
· Any director of the company; and · any secretary of the company; and · any other person who: o makes, or participates in making, decisions that affect the whole, or substantial part, of the business of the company; or o has the capacity to affect significantly the company’s financial standing; or o in accordance with whose instructions or wishes the directors of the company are accustomed to act (excluding advice given by the person in the proper performance of functions, for example, senior advisors to the board). Co-operative · Any director of the co-operative; and · any secretary of the co-operative; and · any other person who is concerned, or takes part, in the management of the co-operative, whether or not as a director. Incorporated Association · The secretary within the meaning of the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 (Vic); and · any member of the committee within the meaning of the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 (Vic); and · any other person who is concerned, or takes part, in the management of the incorporated association. Other body corporate applicant that is not a company, incorporated association or co-operative Any member of the committee of management of the body corporate. |
| Partnership | Any partner who is involved, or takes part, in the management of the bus service to which the accreditation relates. |
| Unincorporated association or body | Any member of the committee of management of the association or body who is involved, or takes part, in the management of the bus service to which the accreditation relates. |
Eligibility factors for accreditation
The Bus Safety Act 2009 (Vic) specifies strict eligibility requirements relating to criminal offences, previous bus operator registrations/accreditations and insolvency. In determining whether to grant your application for accreditation, ST VIC must consider these eligibility factors.
Criminal offences
The Act defines offences under three tiers (tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3). The Safety Director must refuse to accredit an operator of a commercial bus service or a local bus service if the Safety Director believes on reasonable grounds that the applicant or a relevant person:
- has been found guilty of a tier 1 offence (other than a specified indictable fraud or dishonesty offence) at any time before the application for accreditation; or
- has been found guilty in the 10 years before the application for accreditation of a tier 1 offence that is a specified indictable fraud or dishonesty offence.
For tier 2 and tier 3 offences, the Safety Director has discretion on whether or not to grant accreditation.
As part of this application all relevant persons (as defined on page 8) will need to undertake a National Police Record Check and provide a National Police Certificate. The certificate provided must relate specifically for bus operator accreditations and cannot be more than six months old. National police checks must be obtained from Victoria Police. Further information is available on their website police.vic.gov.au. When completing the purpose of check section on the police form, select option 1, choose the ‘other’ box and insert ‘bus accreditation’ in the space provided.
Previous accreditation
The Safety Director must refuse to accredit an operator of a commercial bus service or a local bus service if the Safety Director believes on reasonable grounds that the applicant has previously been accredited to operate a bus service and that accreditation was cancelled and the applicant is disqualified from obtaining accreditation for a commercial bus service or local bus service.
Insolvency
The Safety Director must refuse to accredit an operator of a commercial bus service or a local bus service if the Safety Director believes on reasonable grounds that the applicant:
- is a natural person and is an insolvent under administration within the meaning of the Corporations Act; or
- if the applicant is a corporation and:
- a receiver or receiver and manager, within the meaning of the Corporations Act, has been appointed in relation to the applicant; or
- the applicant has been placed in administration under the Corporations Act or under the law of any place outside Australia; or
- a court has made an order under the Corporations Act for the winding up of the applicant.
If you require more information on how the eligibility factors relate to your bus service and circumstances, contact Safe Transport Victoria (ST VIC) on 1800 223 022.