Transport for Students with a Disability
The Department of Education and Training (the Department) provides travel assistance for eligible students attending their designated government specialist or integrated school.
The Students with Disabilities Transport Program (SDTP) is a contribution towards and an acknowledgement of the additional costs families may incur as a result of attending a specialist or integrated school.
Attendance at a specialist or integrated school does not automatically entitle a student to assistance or preclude parents from being primarily responsible for their child’s transport arrangements.
The SDTP is guided by the transport regulations under the Education and Training Reform Regulations 2017 and the Bus Safety Act 2009.
Eligibility:
Criteria 1 – Be eligible for the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD)
The PSD is a targeted supplementary funding program for Victorian government schools. It provides resources to schools to support the provision of school-based educational programs for a defined population of students with disabilities, with moderate to high needs.
Criteria 2 – Reside in the Designated Transport Area (DTA) of the school attended
A DTA has been established for each government specialist and integrated school to ensure the efficient provision of transport services. To be eligible for transport assistance, students must reside within the DTA of the specialist or integrated school attended.
Parents/guardians may choose to enrol their child at any specialist or integrated school outside of their DTA however, this precludes the student from accessing any transport assistance.
Criteria 3 – Be enrolled for three or more days per week
Students must be enrolled at a specialist or integrated school for three or more days per week to be eligible for transport assistance.
Criteria 4 – Be of school age and reside in Victoria
School is compulsory for all Victorian children aged between six and 17 years of age. For the purposes of the SDTP, students are eligible for assistance if they are aged between five and 18 years of age at the time of their application, and reside in Victoria.
Note: Students who turn 19 years of age during their time at school remain eligible for transport assistance until they complete their schooling.
Students residing less than 4.8km from the school
Parents/guardians are deemed responsible for their child’s travel arrangements if they reside less than 4.8km by shortest practicable route (drivable by car) from their local specialist or integrated school.
Access to a bus service may be provided to students residing less than 4.8km from their local specialist or integrated school if:
- seating is available on the service after all students with a higher priority of access have been accommodated;
- the student’s parents/guardians accept the conditions of travel (which include restrictions such as relinquishing the seat should a student with a higher priority of access require the seat); and
- the Department incurs no additional cost.
Please contact the school to discuss your child’s transportation needs, and the availability of a suitable bus service in your area.