- Regional school bus conveyance allowance increased for 2024
- Rate more than doubling - from 25.24c to 55.6c/km
- An additional $8.3 million being invested by Government to increase allowance
- Allowance is in place to subsidise private travel when required
Regional families are set to receive cost-of-living relief ahead of the 2024 school year, with the State Government more than doubling the Public Transport Authority's (PTA) School Bus Services (SBS) conveyance allowance.
The increase was recommended in the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee's recently- released Bus Fair report (Review of Transport Assistance) and will see the base rate increase from 25.24c per kilometre to 55.6c per kilometre.
The increase represents the most significant change to the Student Transport Conveyance Allowance since it was last reviewed in 2002.
The conveyance allowance is in place to support students with special needs, and regional families who cannot access the PTA SBS.
Under the Student Transport Policy framework, eligible regional students generally have access to orange school buses contracted by the PTA. However, where it's not possible to provide a dedicated bus service, a conveyance allowance is provided to parents to help with the cost of driving their eligible children to and from school or, in some cases, to connect with the service.
It's the latest Bus Fair recommendation to be approved recently, after eligibility criteria changes were announced in mid-November.
More information can be found on the School Bus Services website.
As stated by Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:
"Most regional families will have access to the Public Transport Authority's School Bus Service, but we know in some cases that's not possible, which is why the conveyance allowance is such an important measure.
"More than doubling the conveyance allowance will provide genuine cost-of-living relief to many regional families, and better reflects the cost of the getting kids to and from school.
"This change represents the most significant increase in the conveyance allowance since 2002, and will make sure regional families that cannot utilise the School Bus Service are appropriately compensated."
As stated by Education Minister Dr Tony Buti:
"We want to remove as many barriers as possible for Western Australians to access a high-quality education.
"Getting to and from school is a crucial part of having a fair education system and offering accessible public transport makes it easier for every student, no matter their circumstances."
