Directors Update

Bus Etiquette in Our School Community

Travelling on public buses/school buses to and from school is part of daily life for many of our students. Although this travel sits outside the school’s direct supervision, the way students behave on shared services affects their peers, other passengers and the bus operators who work hard to provide safe transport. Recent concerns highlight the need for families and the College to work together to reinforce respectful and responsible bus etiquette with the students in our care.

Queueing and Boarding

Over the past term, staff and bus drivers have noticed students pushing ahead or skipping the queue when buses arrive. This might seem minor in the moment, but it has real impacts. Younger students can feel unsafe when older students move through the crowd abruptly, and peers often feel frustrated or disrespected when the line is ignored. It also makes the bus zone more difficult for drivers to manage safely.

A simple reminder at home about waiting patiently, respecting the queue and allowing others space can make a noticeable difference. Students unable to support these expectations may find access to the buses limited under our College Bus Travel Code of Conduct.

Language and Behaviour on the Bus

Buses are shared public spaces. Most students travel well, but there have been reports of poor language, unkind comments and conversations that make others uncomfortable. Some students have allegedly spoken negatively about one another or about families, which can quickly escalate tension. In extreme cases, drivers have reported concerns about vaping on buses departing from school.

These behaviours affect the comfort and safety of other travellers and can distract drivers from safely operating the vehicle. Families can support positive habits by reinforcing the importance of kindness, calm communication and respectful interactions, even when travelling with friends. Vaping on public buses not only contravenes School expectations, but is also in breach of the bus company Codes of Travel and against the law. Students found to be vaping on the buses will face serious consequences and may find access to the buses terminated for a period of time.

At school we will continue to work to educate the students about healthy and safe decision-making via their Health Program, guest speaker opportunities, Pastoral Care discussions and Head of House follow-up with individuals. Nevertheless, the issue of vaping is not one that can be overlooked.

Our Bus Travel Code of Conduct

The College’s expectations for bus travel are straightforward. Students should treat others with courtesy, follow driver instructions, use appropriate language, remain seated when possible and avoid behaviour that distracts the driver. Revisiting these expectations at home helps students understand that respectful behaviour applies everywhere, not only on school grounds. A copy of our Travel Code of Conduct was shared with all families via Consent2Go earlier in the year.

Contacting Bus Companies

Because public transport is operated independently, families are encouraged to report concerns directly to the bus companies. This ensures issues are addressed promptly and allows operators to monitor patterns of behaviour.

Metro Tasmania Customer Service: 13 22 01 Website: metrotas.com.au

Kinetic Tasmania Customer Service: 1300 731 728 Website: wearekinetic.com.au

Coal River Coaches (Tasmania) Office: 03 6260 2722 Website: coalrivercoaches.com.au

Families can contact these operators regarding unsafe behaviour, vaping concerns, negative physical interactions, bullying or any matter affecting safe travel.

Alerting the School

While bus travel to and from school occurs outside direct supervision, the College remains committed to supporting students and addressing patterns of behaviour that affect wellbeing. Families can raise bus concerns through several avenues:

• Upstander Reporting for confidential student or family reports. The link to this is available in the Student Portal on SEQTA.
• Pastoral Care Team for direct follow‑up with Heads of House or wellbeing staff.

• General Enquiries via the school office, which will direct concerns to the appropriate staff.

   

Clear communication helps us respond effectively and work alongside families and bus operators to support safe and respectful travel. When making reports, please consider what information you are able to share to help us generate timely and effective follow up. Provision of times, names and types of behaviour/s would be appreciated to assist follow up interviews and outcomes.

Working Together

Positive bus etiquette is a shared responsibility. When families, students, bus operators and the College reinforce the same expectations, students learn what respectful behaviour looks like in real public settings. Together, we can ensure that every student feels safe, supported and respected on their journey to and from school.