Thank you for your assistance in making school travel in 2023 as smooth as possible.

Below is some useful information to assist with student travel enquiries. We have also attached a newsletter-friendly version you can share with parents/carers and students.

2024 school travel applications are now open

Students who need a School Opal card or travel pass for 2024 can apply here. A new application will need to be submitted if they are applying for the first time, or if they are requesting additional travel entitlement because of new shared parental arrangement (e.g. joint custody).

Students who change address, school, campus location, have repeated a year or received an expiry notification from Transport for NSW for their school travel entitlement should renew or update their details before the end of Term 4. This will ensure that schools can endorse applications, and entitlements remain valid for the start of the 2024 school year. School Opal card holders will have the changes applied to their existing card.

If a student’s distance eligibility has changed based on their grade (i.e. grade two to grade three), the system will automatically update their entitlement if they meet the new criteria. If they do not meet the new eligibility criteria, we will send them an expiry notification via email.

Students who have an entitlement approved under a medical condition that is due to expire will receive a notification advising them to re-apply.

Term Bus Pass holders will receive a notification to re-apply.

Students in the Opal network applying for an Opal card (including a Term Bus Pass) for the first time will receive their Student Opal card at their nominated postal address. Cards will be mailed out from January 2024.

Students living in rural and regional (R&R) areas should receive their travel pass at the start of the new school year from their nominated transport operator. It may come via the school or be sent directly to them at home. Note: some R&R operators do not issue travel passes. Students/parents should confirm with their nominated operator if they do not receive a pass.

School travel application endorsement

Occasionally, applicants completing the online form make mistakes, so we ask that school administrators be mindful of this and only endorse applications with correct information.

If you identify an error, you can amend the first name, date of birth or grade of a student’s travel application by clicking in the relevant row in the portal. Please ensure you have confirmed the information before making any changes. Refer to page 16 of the School Portal User Guide for further instructions. The user guide is accessible within the School Portal by clicking the arrow next to your username.

If a student’s details cannot be confirmed or they are not yet enrolled, please select ‘no’ to reject the application. By selecting ‘no’ the applicant will be informed via email that their application has been rejected by the school. They will then need to submit a new application.

If an application has been endorsed in error, please advise parents to go online to update their details or contact us here.

If school administrators require access to the School Portal, please request an account here.

If you need to remove school portal access for staff members who have recently left the school, please let us know via the feedback form, selecting ‘school/operator portal’ and then ‘remove existing user access’.

Transport Concession Entitlement Cards (TCECs)

Schools applying for Transport Concession Entitlement Cards (TCECs) for senior secondary students are advised to submit applications at least four weeks before the end of Term 4. This will allow time for processing and delivery to the school before the holiday period commences. Cards scheduled for delivery during the holiday period will be held and delivered when school recommences from 30 January 2024.

When applying for TCECs before the end of Term 4 2023, ensure you enter the grade the student is in this year, not the grade they will be in during 2024. E.g., year 11 students who have commenced year 12 studies are still considered as being in grade 11 until the end of 2023.

The expiry of a TCEC is different for each student year:

- If student is year 10 in 2024, the TCEC will expire on 31/03/2025

- If student is year 11 in 2024, the TCEC will expire on 31/03/2026

- If student is a mature aged student or year 12 in 2024, the TCEC will expire on 31/03/2025.

For lost, stolen or damaged TCEC, please re-order using the same process for new cards via the School Portal.

Multi-Factor Authentication for School Portal

As part of the drive to keep our data safe from scammers, Transport for NSW is introducing Multi-Factor Authentication for the School Portal. Multi-factor authentication is a security measure that requires two or more proofs of identity to grant you access to a system. This acts as an additional layer of security to prevent unauthorized users from accessing accounts, even when the password has been stolen.

It is important that all staff involved in endorsing School Travel Passes, providing School Drive Subsidy attendance days and submitting Concession Entitlement Cards have their own access. More information will be provided when this feature is made available.

Changes to your bus service provider

Within Greater Sydney, a number of bus service providers have changed their names. Please advise parents to check the trip planner on transportnsw.info prior to lodging an application to obtain the correct bus operator name servicing their area.

Travel from Term 1 2024

We ask that parents plan ahead and make sure their child knows which service/s to use and has a valid ticket to travel; either a School Opal card or Child/Youth Opal card (within Greater Sydney) or a School Travel Pass (outside Greater Sydney), from the start of the school year.

Applications for 2024 School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) travel open at the start of Term 4 2023, so parents/students can apply or update details early and be ready for the start of the new school year.

Most students using the Opal network will not need a new Opal card and can continue travelling on their existing card each year.

The start of the year is a busy period for local transport operators, and students travelling without a valid ticket make service planning and operations difficult.

We recognise that for some families last minute changes to school enrolments mean they may not have a School Opal card or Travel Pass for the start of term. In the Opal network, we strongly encourage these families to have their children travel with a Child/Youth Opal card until they receive their valid School Opal card. If outside Greater Sydney, parents should contact their local bus operator to discuss their travel needs.

Bus operators are flexible and understanding, particularly at the start of the school year, and will ensure students can travel safely to and from school. But to best support our operators we encourage all students to have a valid ticket, as early as possible, from the start of the school year.

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