The McGowan Government has referred regional school bus services to the Parliamentary Public Accounts committee to consider a review, to ensure they continue to meet the needs of Western Australian families throughout the State.
This is the first review to be initiated since 1998-1999 and will focus on the Public Transport Authority's Student Transport Assistance Policy Framework, which provides students living in remote or rural areas of the State with transport assistance to attend school.
It also provides transport assistance to students with special needs who attend education support facilities.
Currently, to be eligible for a rural "orange" school bus service, students must be enrolled at their nearest appropriate school, live more than 4.5km from their school, regularly use the school bus and reside outside a designated public transport area.
A separate part of the school bus program supports children attending education support facilities, predominantly inside the Perth metropolitan area.
The rural school bus network carries more than 25,000 students on 967 services across WA.
The Public Accounts Committee will provide details of the review once it has had the opportunity to consider it.
As stated by Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:
"After having been contacted by local community members with some concerns about the school bus services and speaking on this issue in the Parliament, I committed to referring the policy framework to a committee for review.
"Today I have spoken on the issue in Parliament again and referred the issue to the Public Accounts Committee.
"Since 1918, our orange school buses have been helping thousands of students all around our state to get to and from school.
"The team have worked hard to ensure the school buses assist as many families as possible each year and have done a great job - this review will ensure that the policy framework is current and continues to ensure students in all parts of the state have access to quality education."
