Frequently Asked Questions

Current information may be available from the following organisations or their websites:

• Translink.com.au - Journey planner. (You may wish to select "More options" and scroll down to tick most options including "School".) (Telephone: 13 12 30).
• Your school
• Local bus companies (or via your local government).
• Your local Department of Transport & Main Roads (DTMR) School Transport office. Phone your nearest DTMR School Transport office or, phone 13 QGOV (13 7468) and ask for your local School Transport office.

Your school may be able to advise you.

You may be charged cheaper bus fares if your student catches a contracted bus service subsidised by the Department of Transport & Main Roads (DTMR) through their School Transport Assistance Scheme (STAS). Phone your nearest DTMR School Transport office or, phone 13 QGOV (13 7468) and ask for your local School Transport office.

Yes. There are two potential sources of assistance.

Firstly, in regards to Bus Fare Assistance, if you drive to a bus stop or school, you may be entitled to a Conveyance Allowance from your local Department of Transport & Main Roads (DTMR) School Transport office. Phone your nearest DTMR School Transport office or, phone 13 QGOV (13 7468) and ask for your local School Transport office.

Secondly, if one of your students has a disability and meets the criteria under the Students With Disability program, you can claim through NSSTAS. SWD applicants are asked not to apply to DTMR for Conveyance Allowance (driving to a bus stop or school) as this is already covered through our Scheme when you apply with us (NSSTAS).

Yes. If your student catches a ferry, please contact the transport provider for the most ecomonical deal for student travel for a semester.

The form may have been issued by your local Department of Transport & Main Roads (DTMR) School Transport office. To ensure you receive the maximum benefit possible through the two school transport assistance Schemes, please also check with them

You may be charged cheaper bus fares if your student catches a contracted bus service subsidised by the Department of Transport & Main Roads (DTMR) through their School Transport Assistance Scheme (STAS).

To ensure you received the maximum benefit possible through the two school transport assistance Schemes, please check with your local DTMR School Transport office:

• If your student will be catching a bus, ask what are the most suitable bus options (between home and school) eligible under STAS, and
• Can you receive other assistance directly from STAS with:
  • Conveyance Allowance - if you drive to a bus stop or school,
  • Safety-Net - if you hold a valid concession card,
  • Train/rail travel assistance – if applicable, and
  • Isolated assistance – if applicable.

Phone your nearest DTMR School Transport office or, phone 13 QGOV (13 7468) and ask for your local School Transport office. More information at: qld.gov.au/schooltransportassistance.

SWD applicants are asked not to apply to DTMR for Conveyance Allowance (driving to a bus stop or school) as this is already covered through our Scheme when you apply with us (NSSTAS).

DMTR may suggest you phone us, but there is no need as we only accept online applications via this website.

NSSTAS does not provide taxi vouchers.

For information regarding taxi transport, please contact the Department of Transport & Main Roads.

Tip: Search for "taxi subsidy scheme qld" in your web browser.

Yes. You can receive school transport assistance from NSSTAS and STAS (Department of Transport & Main Roads (DTMR)). In some circumstances your DTMR school transport assistance will be deducted from your NSSTAS entitlement.

Note: If you receive DTMR school transport assistance, NSSTAS will be notified of this.

SWD applicants are asked not to apply to DTMR for Conveyance Allowance (driving to a bus stop or school) as this is already covered through our Scheme when you apply with us (NSSTAS).

Parents with shared custody arrangements are encouraged to liaise with each other to lodge only one application for the parent who pays the bus fares for (or who drives) the student concerned. Alternatively, the application has the provision at “Full Weeks Not Travelling?” to notify when the student was not residing at a particular address.

This relates to the Bus Fare Assistance Program only.

The student must live more than 3.2km from the primary school attended, or more than 4.8km from the secondary school attended.

NB: If you, the parent/carer are a concession card holder, this distance restriction does not apply to you.

Bus Fare Assistance Program (BFAP) – Non-state school attended within Queensland, outside the Brisbane City Council boundary.

Students With Disability (SWD) – Non-state school attended within Queensland.

Apply in May to claim the rebate for Semester 1 (Terms 1 & 2) (for travel January to June)

Apply in October to claim the rebate for Semester 2 (Terms 3 & 4) (for travel July to December)

Note in your calendar to apply each May and October on this website: www.schooltransport.com.au

No. If you drive your student to a bus stop or school, check with your local Department of Transport & Main Roads (DTMR) School Transport office regarding Conveyance Allowance.

Phone your nearest DTMR School Transport office or, phone 13 QGOV (13 7468) and ask for your local School Transport office. More information at: qld.gov.au/schooltransportassistance.

DMTR may suggest you phone us, but there is no need as we only accept online applications via this website.

Yes. Audit checks are conducted and receipts are required (on request) to complete our obligations under the Scheme.

You need only keep receipts for three months from the date we paid you for that semester (we will not ask you to provide them after three months from that date).

Parents with shared custody arrangements are encouraged to liaise with each other to lodge only one application for the parent who pays the bus fares for (or who drives) the student concerned. Alternatively, the application has the provision at “Full Weeks Not Travelling?” to notify when the student was not residing at a particular address.

Schools have two Semesters a year each broken into two Terms as follows:

• Semester 1 (for travel January to June) = Term 1 & Term 2;
• Semester 2 (for travel July to December) = Term 3 & Term 4.

You need to estimate travel use for all of:

• Semester 1 (for travel January to June) when you apply in May; and
• Semester 2 (for travel July to December) when you apply in October.

You base the estimate on your student's average weekly travel pattern from the start of semester, to the time you apply.

For example, John travels to and from school on a ferry (10 trips per week). He also catches a bus, but only in the afternoons (5 trips per week).
His parents pay the ferry company monthly ($200/month) and the bus company charges a 10-trip ticket ($20/ticket).
John has travelled 12 weeks of the semester and his parents believe his travel pattern will not change for the rest of the semester.
Therefore John’s parents calculate his Average Weekly Fare to be:
($200 divided by 4 weeks in a month) + ($20 divided by 10 trips per week times 5 trips per week) = $50 + $10 = $60 per week

Try using the Google Chrome browser if you are unable to access the form properly.

When you are in the application form, press the red "Start Application" or "Next Step" button at the bottom of the page only ONCE, and then wait a moment or so for the next page to fully display - especially if your internet connection is slow or lost. Wait for a lost connection to resume.

If you have difficulties with the form (such as being stuck at a particular item, or the page not loading a few minutes after reconnecting), try the following tips:

1. When inputting an address, please type slowly (as there is a delay while the system looks up the address in Google). If it does not display, click the "Can't find your address?" link at the top right of the address box;
2. On the Student Details page, you may need to add a student before you can delete a student (press "Add Another Student"). Delete a student using the Delete (trash can icon) at the top right of that student's name;
3. To go back to a previous page, press the "Previous Page" button at the bottom of the page only once - Don't press the back or forward buttons on the browser itself while you are in the application form;
4. If the internet connection is lost, switch your device and/or internet modem off, leave it for 30 seconds and switch it back on.
5. Ensure you have the most up-to-date browser software on your device, or try a different internet browser (e.g. Google Chrome);
6. Try a more up-to-date computer, tablet (e.g. iPad), or mobile phone with internet; or
7. If you continue to experience issues, seek assistance from internet savvy family, friends, library, or the school.

You can estimate the amount of BFAP rebate we pay you. It will be approximately equal to the following calculation:

Rebate =
(Sum of average weekly fares for your students - Weekly family threshold) x Weeks in semester - Adjustments

Adjustments include:

• Absence from school and other times not using the bus/ferry
• Fares in excess of the applicable rate i.e.
  • The TRANSLink.com.au fares for Go Card Concessions (NOT Adult) including discounts;
  • Or the cheapest student rate set by your transport provider (if not TRANSLink);
  • Or for standard kilometre based services the School Transport Maximum Cash Fare Schedule (STMCFS) set by the Department of Transport & Main Roads (DTMR) and available from their website.

Note: Information from sources such as Schools, Transport Providers, DTMR and other government agencies is used to cross check the information in your application. Inconsistencies may result in your payment being delayed until we can verify your data. It is important to be as accurate as possible.

Rebate assistance depends on:

• actual kilometres travelled from home to school
• number of days the student attends school
• student's school attendance
• the fare cap set by the Department of Transport & Main Roads (DTMR) School Transport Maximum Cash Fare Schedule (STMCFS)
• other criteria outlined in our SWD Guidelines

Parents with shared custody arrangements are encouraged to liaise with each other to lodge only one application for the parent who pays the bus fares for (or who drives) the student concerned. Alternatively, the application has the provision at “Full Weeks Not Travelling?” to notify when the student was not residing at a particular address.

The threshold is the set amount of money that families pay before receiving any rebate from us. It is deducted from the total family weekly amount of transport fares before the rebate is calculated. This means that if you have more than one student in your family, your family is out of pocket for only one threshold per week.

The threshold is determined by the NSSTAS and can change each semester depending on the demand on the Scheme and the funding available from the government. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is taken into account when setting the threshold. It is also influenced by the amount of money the Scheme has paid out in previous semesters.

Rebate is based on weeks of school attendance. Full weeks of absence are not rebated. When you apply for NSSTAS twice a year, you are applying for the whole Semester broken into two Term as follows:

• Semester 1 (for travel January to June) = Term 1 & Term 2;
• Semester 2 (for travel July to December) = Term 3 & Term 4.

As each family represents a different situation (e.g. number of students in the family), it is advised not to compare payments. Contact our office if you feel there is a discrepancy.

Less payment could be due to several factors such as less weeks in the semester (Semester 2 is usually shorter than Semester 1), an increase in the weekly family threshold or deductions made because of an overpayment from a previous semester.

Your school website should tell you how many weeks there are in the Semester and the Term dates within that.

Semester 2 is usually shorter than Semester 1, because in Term 4 (at the end of the year) Year 10 and 11 students usually finish one week earlier, and Year 12 students usually finish two weeks earlier.

Check your SPAM/Junk/Promotions email folder.

When searching your bank account online for a deposit, ensure you select ‘All transactions’. The payment description will be ‘School Transport’.

We try to send a reminder email to the email address used last semester. However we recommend you note in your calendar to apply each May and October because you may not receive a reminder email. This can happen if you:

• change email address (in which case it's fine to apply without any reference numbers from us),
• have email filtering that puts our email in your Spam/Junk/Promotions email folder, or
• didn't apply in the previous semester.

A Conveyance Allowance is a car allowance administered directly to parents by the Department of Transport & Main Roads (DTMR). Contact your local DTMR School Transport office to see if you are eligible for this allowance. Phone your nearest DTMR School Transport office or, phone 13 QGOV (13 7468) and ask for your local School Transport office.

SWD applicants are asked not to apply to DTMR for Conveyance Allowance (driving to a bus stop or school) as this is already covered through our Scheme when you apply with us (NSSTAS).

DMTR may suggest you phone us, but there is no need as we only accept online applications via this website.