Code of Expected Behaviour

Students:

1. must remain seated, wearing their seat belt properly adjusted (where fitted) for the whole journey.
2. not eat or drink in the bus.
3. are to use socially acceptable language when talking to the driver and / or others, and speak quietly so they do not distract the bus driver.
4. are to respect the bus operator’s property at all times
5. are not to harass, bully, or abuse other passengers or the driver in any way, whether verbal or physical.
6. are to respect others’ property and do not interfere with it in any way.
7. are to listen to and follow the requirements and instructions of the bus driver and the Bus Monitors at all times.
8. will not to engage in any behaviour that could put other passengers, the driver, or themselves at risk.

Decisions or requests made by a driver must be followed through. If a student has issues or complaints about these decisions they have the right to present it in written form to the Bus Controller or their Principal.

Eligible Students

Free School Bus Transport is intended for Eligible Students

• Students must live certain distance/s within the nearest appropriate school
• If students are not eligible for funded transport ASTN have other options available

1. Students who are enrolled at a network school will be entitled to free school transport if there is no suitable public bus service available and they meet the following criteria.
   
   1. live more than 3.2 kilometres from their nearest appropriate school if under 10 years of age; or
   2. live more than 4.8 kilometres from their nearest appropriate school if 10 years of age or over  AND attend their nearest appropriate school.
2. The distance for eligibility is measured over the shortest public road or public pedestrian rout from the home roadside gate of the student to the nearest appropriate school.
3. Students enrolled at a network school and meet the above distance criteria but do not attend their nearest appropriate school are eligible for free travel within the Funded Catchment Area of the network school they attend. The Network may require the student to have a ASTN concession travel ticket from their school.
4. Students who are enrolled at a network school but do not meet either of the above criteria are ineligible to travel on a network school bus  unless there is sufficient seating available and the school has written permission from ASTN. The network may require the student to  have a ASTN concession travel ticket from their school.
5. Students not enrolled at a network school but meet the criteria in clause 2 may travel on a network school bus if there is sufficient seating available.

Private Fees for those who Do Not Meet Eligibility Criteria

When a student lives more than 2.4km from their nearest bus route and meet the criteria for school transport. They may be eligible for a private conveyance allowance. Application forms are available from here.

1. All students who are ineligible (do not meet the distance criteria) but are attending their nearest school, with the exception of those rural students who fit into Category 1. These students can only use the buses if there is room for them.
2. All students who are ineligible (do not meet the distance criteria) and are not attending their nearest school.
3. All students who are eligible (meet the distance criteria) but are not attending their nearest school.

Bus Transport for Urban Students

Environment Canterbury provides bus services for the Timaru urban area via the 'Metro' buses. Some of theses routes are designated as school buses. Details of routes and times are available from here or Metro Info Phone 688 5544.

Nearest Appropriate School

Definition of nearest appropriate school is:

1. The closest school to the home of the student; or  The closest integrated school of a special character with which the caregivers identify to the home of the student.
2. There are situations where the nearest school is not appropriate for the purposes of determining eligibility. Below are examples of schools that can be excluded when determining eligibility and the next nearest appropriate school will be used:
3. School is a single-sex boys or girls school (of the wrong gender);
4. School is a special character school with which the caregiver does not identify; or School is an integrated school.

Funded Catchment Area

Definition of Funded Catchment Area is:

1. The area enclosed by Ministry of Education designed school bus routes for which Aoraki School Transport Network receives funding.
2. This area is subject to change when the Ministry's agent reviews the bus routes biannually, or when the location of students eligible to attend network schools requires the Ministry's agent to review the bus routes.
3. Or the area as described above and including any area enclosed when the ASTN committee has allocated funding to enable a school bus route extension.
4. Subject to ministry funding the Funded Catchment Area may extend outside the network school's Transport Entitlement Zone
5. School buses will not operate on all the roads contained within the Funded Catchment Area.

Contact us

Providing School Bus Transport to Timaru and Pleasant Point Schools. Aoraki School Transport Network (ASTN) provides school bus transport assistance for students to attend school. ASTN manages 18 buses carrying approximately 800 students daily.

Email us: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ministry of Eduction: visit the website for contact information

Metro Timetables: www.metroinfo.co.nz/timTimetables.html

School Transport: Application for Assistance

This form is to be completed by the caregivers of students using school buses or claiming school transport allowances. If the student travels the full distance from home to school by private vehicle, or travels more than 2.4 km to the school bus stop, he/she may be eligible for a conveyance allowance.
Students may be eligible for school transport if:

• they are under 10 years old and live more than 3.2km from the nearest school; or
• they are 10 years old and over and live more than 4.8 km from the nearest school; and
• they do not have access to public passenger service transport.

Download the: Application Transport Assistance.pdf

Once you have completed this form please post to the Principal or Bus Controller of the school the student attends

Memorandum of Understanding

This page provides a outline on how the schools have agreed to operate ASTN

1. The Timaru and Pleasant Point Schools have chosen to work in a cooperative way for an initial 6 year term to provide a school bus service of similar or better quality to what is provided now.
2. The base philosophy will be one of good intent with no hidden surprises.
3. All members of the network will be aware of the educational viability of all schools served by the Aoraki School Transport Network when looking at the priority on buses.
4. The Network Coordinator/Manager, Bus Controllers, and Network Committee shall be mindful of the need for equality in the quality of buses serving different routes.
5. Each school contributing students to the network will appoint 1-2 representatives to the Network Committee with each school having one vote.
6. A quorum shall be representatives from 7 schools.
7. Priority for places on the buses will be given to students in the following order:
   1. All students who meet the Ministrys’ criteria i.e. 3.2km for under10, 4.8km for 10 and over from their nearest school

   2. Any student who is entitled to Transport Assistance but travels past their nearest school.

   3. Students under 10 who live 2.5 – 3.2km from their school and students over 10 who live 3.2 – 4.8km from their school.

   4. Other students without any entitlement to transport assistance.

8. All students will be seated with seat belts where fitted
9. The Network will undertake to ensure that all students know emergency procedures for evacuating buses.
10. School Transport is a privilege not a right. Any student causing problems may at the discretion of the Network Committee be refused a place on the buses. In all cases the student’s school and the Network shall make certain that the other is aware of any reported problems and work together.
11. The network shall aim to have a fund at less equal to ¼ of the annual funding to be called on in the event of a funding shortfall. No distributions will be made to schools except for section 15 until sufficient funds have retained.
12.  Route changes will be suggested by Bus Controllers. Minor changes maybe approved by the Administrator. In any event routes will be reviewed at least 2 yearly but not more than 6 monthly by the Network Committee. As guidance, route changes which incur no additional cost or provide a saving will be approved. Schools benefiting from route alterations incurring additional costs will have the costs deducted from their share of surplus payment.
13.  Where students are partially or completely ineligible for transport assistance, a charge maybe set by the Network Committee where there is a cost to the network.. The school that any such student attends will be responsible for ensuring the charge is paid to the Network Committee.
14.  Surpluses will be calculated annually after the fund holder school accounts have been audited. The accounts will be separate from any other fund holder school account and the operating accounts shall be transparent.
15.  Any surpluses will be returned to the schools in proportion their eligible student bus roll as at 1 July each year. Routes exclusively serving Pleasant Point schools will be considered separately. Routes shared between Pleasant Points schools and Timaru schools, ½ of the surplus for these routes will shared among Pleasant Point schools in proportion and the remaining ½ will shared in proportion among Timaru Schools.
16.  Any school which no longer has any eligible bus students may elect to receive their proportion of the reserve the following year based on their student bus roll from the previous 1 July roll return.
17.  Schools who join the network will have their surplus retained until they contributed to the reserve. The actual amount will be decided by the Network Committee with regard to the number of bus students in proportion to the total.
18.  Any loss will be funded from the reserve fund and unless the Committee can demonstrate that the Network will return to surplus in the next quarter notice will be given to the Ministry to return the routes back to Ministry Contracted service.
19.  Disputes Procedure: Where there is a dispute the Network Administrator will call a meeting of the Network Committee. The Committee will resolve any dispute with regard to items 1 to 4 of this Memorandum. The Committee will resolve the dispute in a way that benefits of the majority of the students. As a last resort the decision will be that the status quo remains.