How to Apply

You may be required to prove you have paid a transport provider during the semester. It is essential you retain evidence of expenditure such as receipts and tickets for the semester.

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).

Each semester a sample of parents/applicants is asked to forward evidence (e.g. a printed copy of a TRANSLink Go Card account). Do not forward evidence unless requested to do so.

We understand you will be estimating student travel from when you apply to the end of semester. If at the end of semester your student's actual

• Average Weekly Fare
• Weeks Absent

need to be updated, please email the changes to info@schooltransport.com.au

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.

After you submit your application, NSSTAS will contact the school and confirm the student's enrolment at that school and confirm attendance for the relevant semester.

You may be required to prove you have paid a transport provider during the semester. It is essential you retain evidence of expenditure such as receipts and tickets for the semester.

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).

Each semester a sample of parents/applicants is asked to forward evidence (e.g. a printed copy of a TRANSLink Go Card account). Do not forward evidence unless requested to do so.

• If the transport provider charges more than the fare set out in the School Transport Maximum Cash Fare Schedule (STMCFS), NSSTAS will only pay you up to that Schedule's maximum fare (less your family weekly threshold for Bus Fare Assistance). In summary, you will receive a part rebate from NSSTAS for the fares you pay (less the weekly family BFAP threshold, and less any excess above the STMCFS the transport provider charges you).
• For a student travelling on a Translink service or other service with discounted fares, the rebate we pay you is based on Go Card concession fares or discounted fares (depending on the average weekly number of trips the student catches the service).
• For a student travelling on a single/return/pay-as-you-go ticketed service, the rebate we pay you is based on the average weekly number of trips the student catches the service.
• For a student travelling on a Weekly, Monthly, Term, Semester or Annual ticketed service, the rebate we pay you is based on the average weekly number of trips the student catches the service when we apply the STMCFS to cap your fares:

0-1 trips per week Weekly fare we assess is zero

2 trips per week Weekly fare we assess is calculated on 2 trips per week

3-5 trips per week Weekly fare we assess is calculated on 5 trips per week

6-10 trips per week Weekly fare we assess is calculated on the weekly rate of the ticket type purchased

• Boarding school students make a minimum of two journeys each week - one journey to and one journey from school each week. For example, a student may travel by bus to school on Sunday and return home by bus on Friday after school. The parent/applicant will receive a rebate calculated on two trips per week, utilising the DTMR issued STMCFS.
• Other criteria as outlined in our Students With Disability Guidelines and Bus Fare Assistance Program Guidelines.

To avoid disappointment in regards to the rebate we pay you, you are encouraged to purchase the most economical ticket type for your family.

The weekly family threshold can change each semester depending on demand on the Scheme and funding available from the government. We aim to keep it as stable as possible.

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 public transport
• 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 fare set by your transport provider (if not TRANSLink);
  • Or for standard kilometre based services, the School Transport Maximum Cash Fare Schedule (set by the Qld Department of Transport and available from their website).

Note: The weekly family threshold is zero for SWD applications.

Regarding weeks in 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.

Note: Information from sources such as Schools, Bus Companies, Department of Transport 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.

• We pay into your bank account a rebate for a successful application. We pay parents as soon as we can. This normally happens after the semester finishes and into the first couple of months of the following semester. This is a rebate of the fares you have paid to the transport provider each week/month/term etc (or the cost to drive your SWD student to/from school).
• When you apply to us in May (for Semester One) you generally receive your rebate from us into your nominated bank account by the end of August. Similarly, when you apply to us in October (for Semester Two) you generally receive your rebate from us into your nominated bank account by the end of January of the following year.
• A rebate payment advice will be forwarded to you via email. The payment description on your bank statement will be ‘School Transport’.
• If you have students at more than one school, you may receive more than one payment (with the weekly threshold deducted from the first payment).