The following provides general information on school bus travel with McHarry’s Buslines, and answers some of the commonly asked questions that parents and students may have in relation to school bus travel around Geelong & the Bellarine Peninsula.

See below for

Fares & Passes
Bus Stop Locations and Schedules
Passenger Loads
Student Behavior Expectations
Bus Travel Safety

Fares & Passes

There are 3 main types of school bus passes which may apply:

Students traveling without a pass are entitled to a concession fare, but students 17 years and over need to present a Public Transport Concession Card to obtain this concession.   Applications are available from Geelong Railway Station or via the web at www.myki.com.au . These cards may be purchased for $9.00. Please note that school photo identification does not satisfy the Government’s requirements for a Public Transport Concession Card.

All students without the appropriate travel pass will be charged full fare.

Bus Stop Locations and Schedules

Make sure to check with your school or McHarry’s Buslines about the timetables and stop locations for buses which are relevant to you. Sometimes more than one bus will service a particular run. This means (in some instances), that if a bus drives past students at a stop another bus may follow soon after.

Passenger Loads

All our buses are operated according to their legal seating and standing limits. Whilst not required by law, McHarry’s Buslines also have a policy of ‘no-standees’ in 100 km/h speed zones. As the school year kicks off, we find that passenger numbers vary considerably for the first few weeks. This makes it difficult to ensure that everyone gets a seat every time; however this is closely monitored and resolved within the first few weeks of school term.

Student Behavior Expectations

Travel on a school bus is essentially an extension of the classroom and requires students to behave as such.  To ensure the safety of all travelers, students are not to:

• distract the attention of the driver by engaging in any “horseplay” such as yelling or playing pranks

• fight on the bus or at any bus stop

• harass the driver or any other passenger on the bus

• use foul or abusive language

• vandalise the bus

• throw litter, food or any other object, in or from a bus

• allow any part of his/her body to protrude from a bus

• smoke on the bus

• breach any law relating to bus travel as set out in the Transport Act.

The driver is required to report behavior issues to the company who in turn will contact the school for follow up.

Bus Travel Safety

Apart from the onboard safety issues mentioned previously, other important safety issues to be aware of are:

• Crossing the road in front of buses – never cross the road from the front of a school bus, always attempt crossing from the rear. This allows adequate vision for both motorists and the student to cross safely

• Approaching moving buses – never attempt to board a bus whilst it is still in motion. Students have been seriously injured by this practice.

• Staying behind safety barriers where installed – many schools have safety barriers installed to separate students and buses. Please stay behind safety barriers until buses have come to a complete stop.

• Wearing of seat belts – it is the responsibility of the student to wear a seatbelt where fitted on the bus

If you require further information, please contact us by

Email info@mcharrys.com.au,
Phone on (03) 5223 2111 (7am to 6pm Mon-Fri, 8am to 12pm Sat), or VicLink 136 196,
By fax (03) 5221 4823,
In person at 6 Reeves Court, Breakwater (7am until 6pm Mon-Fri, Sat 8am until 12pm),
PO Box 273, Belmont 3216

Further information is also available at the Stay Bus Safe page on the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development web site.