Types of bus service
The bus operator accreditation and registration schemes have been simplified and consolidated into one accreditation system. These changes came into effect on 1 March 2022.
Information about the changes is available on the front page of the Bus Safety section of this website in Latest News. Online information sessions about the changes to the Bus Safety Act 2009 and the accompanying regulations will be promoted here shortly.
This page describes the various types of bus service and whether the operators of these services need to be accredited.
Commercial bus service
A bus service which is:
- a route bus service
- a demand responsive bus service
- a tour and charter bus service
- a courtesy bus service (other than a non-commercial courtesy bus service)
- a bus service which is a prescribed class of commercial bus service
- a bus service which is declared by Bus Safety Victoria to be a commercial bus service.
An operator who operates a bus with 13 seats or more (including the driver) and operates a commercial or a local bus service will need to be accredited.
What are your safety obligations?
Safety duties require a person to eliminate risks to safety so far as is reasonably practicable. If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risks, they should be reduced so far as is reasonably practicable. Safety duties apply to the operator of a bus service regardless of whether the bus is borrowed, owned, rented or leased.
For more information about your safety responsibilities, please visit the understanding your safety duties section on this website.
Local bus service
A bus service that carries passengers on a bus with 13 or more adult seats (including the driver). The service is operated on a regular basis or subject to demand, and is available for use by the general public, not operated for hire or reward.
An example of a local bus service is a council that provides a service along a fixed route at no cost and is available to the general public.
An operator who operates a bus with 13 seats or more (including the driver) and operates a commercial or a local bus service will need to be accredited.
What are your safety obligations?
Safety duties require a person to eliminate risks to safety so far as is reasonably practicable. If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risks, they should be reduced so far as is reasonably practicable. Safety duties apply to the operator of a bus service regardless of whether the bus is borrowed, owned, rented or leased.
For more information about your safety responsibilities, please visit the understanding your safety duties section on this website.
Community and private bus service
Community and private bus service in connection with the activities of a religious, educational, health, welfare, philanthropic, sporting or social body using a bus with 24 or more seating positions.
However, if you are in this category and the bus that you use has less than 24 seating positions, and you are not transporting school aged children or people who require special care or support, you are exempt from the requirement to be accredited. This exemption is automatic – you don’t need to apply for exemption.
What are your safety obligations?
Safety duties require a person to eliminate risks to safety so far as is reasonably practicable. If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risks, they should be reduced so far as is reasonably practicable. Safety duties apply to the operator of a bus service regardless of whether the bus is borrowed, owned, rented or leased.
For more information about your safety responsibilities, please visit the understanding your safety duties section on this website.
School bus service
Under the Bus Safety Act 2009 (Vic), operators of school bus services are required to be accredited.
Do I need to be accredited?
This table describes the types of bus service that can be operated and the bus operator accreditation requirement. The last column provides an explanation of associated legislation.
| Scenario | Requirement | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Government contracted school service, where the Victorian Government contracts a bus operator to transport school students to and from school. | Accreditation | This is a commercial bus service under the Bus Safety Act. |
| School bus services funded by the school, where the school itself has a private arrangement where it pays a bus operator to provide to and from school transport services. | Accreditation | This is a commercial bus service under the Bus Safety Act. |
| Schools operating their own bus service, where students are not charged and a school operates the bus/es to transport school students to and from school for no fee or a fee for cost recovery only. | Accreditation | This is a community and private bus service under the Bus Safety Act. |
| Schools operating their own bus solely for school related activities (eg. excursions) where students are not charged and the school (government or private) owns and operates a bus that is used only to transport school students and staff on school excursions, etc. but does NOT provide to and from school transport services. | Accreditation | This is a community and private bus service under the Bus Safety Act. |
| Schools operating their own bus service, where students are charged a fee to access to and from school bus services operated by the school. | Accreditation | This is a commercial bus service under the Bus Safety Act. |
Next steps
You will need to complete an application form. Please contact us for more information.
What are your safety obligations?
Safety duties require a person to eliminate risks to safety so far as is reasonably practicable. If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risks, they should be reduced so far as is reasonably practicable. Safety duties apply to the operator of a bus service regardless of whether the bus is borrowed, owned, rented or leased.
For more information about your safety responsibilities, please visit the understanding your safety duties section on this website.
