Changes to the Private Vehicle Conveyance subsidy will see parents paid a per kilometre rate to drop their kids at the nearest bus stop in isolated parts of rural New South Wales
The scheme aims to helps families to meet the cost of using a private vehicle to drive children either all the way or part of the way to connect with bus or rail services, for those who live in areas where there is no public transport available.
Under the new School Drive Subsidy, families will be paid per trip – rather than per student.
The new subsidy scheme payments are calculated at a flat, per kilometre rate for the actual distance between the family home and the child’s school, or the nearest public transport pick-up point by the shortest route and may help increase bus patronage in rural areas.
Transport for NSW (TfNSW) has been working with the Isolated Children’s and Parents’ Association and other organisations to amend the existing scheme, but parents will have the option to stay on the original Private Vehicle Conveyance scheme if they wish.