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.