Health, Hygiene & Passenger Safety Policy
Our Ongoing Commitment to Passenger & Driver Wellbeing — Charter Bus & Minibus Hire in NSW
Sydney Charter Bus Pty Ltd | NSW Accreditation No. 39461 | ABN: 44 134 888 912 | Macquarie Park NSW 2113
| ● Current Legal Status — NSW COVID-19 Public Health Orders | All NSW COVID-19 Public Health Orders were fully repealed effective 30 November 2022. There are currently no active Public Health Orders in NSW governing any form of transport, including private charter buses and coaches. Source: NSW Health |
| ● Mandatory Isolation — COVID-19 Positive Test (NSW) | There are currently no rules in NSW which require self-isolation if you test positive to COVID-19. It is strongly recommended by NSW Health that you stay home until your symptoms have resolved and take steps to protect others. Source: NSW Government |
| ● Private Charter Buses — Restrictions | There are no restrictions on private charter bus, minibus or coach travel in NSW. There is no limit on passenger numbers (vehicle capacity applies), no seating restrictions, no face covering requirement and no contact tracing obligation. Standard road transport laws and driver accreditation requirements apply as normal. |
While there are no longer any COVID-19 laws governing private charter transport in New South Wales, Sydney Charter Bus Australia maintains a comprehensive set of health, hygiene and passenger wellbeing standards that apply to every service we operate. These standards exist not because they are legally required, but because the safety of our passengers, drivers and staff has always been our highest operational priority — before, during and after the pandemic.
This page sets out our current health and hygiene policy, our driver wellbeing standards, our vehicle sanitation practices, and the important guidance we ask passengers to follow when travelling with us. It also outlines our biohazard incident policy — a standing operational requirement that applies irrespective of COVID-19 status.
If you are concerned about travelling while unwell, or wish to discuss any health or hygiene matter before your booking, please contact our office directly on 1300 468 199 or email [email protected].
1. If You Are Unwell — Please Do Not Travel
| ! | If you are experiencing symptoms of any respiratory illness — including COVID-19, influenza or any other contagious condition — please contact our office before your service date. Travelling while acutely unwell puts your fellow passengers, the driver and the broader community at risk. We will work with you to reschedule your booking where possible. |
| ! | A driver who presents as acutely unwell will not conduct a service. This is a standing operational policy under our Safety Management System (SMS), consistent with our obligations under the NSW Bus Operator Accreditation Scheme (BOAS) and our duty of care to all passengers. If a driver is replaced at short notice due to illness, you will be notified as early as practicable. |
| ! | NSW Health continues to recommend that people who test positive to COVID-19 stay home until symptoms have resolved and take reasonable precautions to protect others — particularly in enclosed spaces such as vehicles. We strongly support and encourage this recommendation. See current NSW Government guidance at www.nsw.gov.au. |
2. Our Vehicle Sanitation & Hygiene Standards
| ✓ Vehicle Preparation — Every Service | |
|---|---|
| ✓ | All minibuses and coaches are cleaned and sanitised before each service — including all passenger contact surfaces, armrests, seatbelt buckles, door handles and window latches |
| ✓ | Hand sanitiser is available to the driver and on board for passenger use |
| ✓ | The driver’s cab area is cleaned and sanitised separately from the passenger cabin |
| ✓ | Where a vehicle is used for consecutive services, it is sanitised between bookings |
| ✓ | All vehicles are well-ventilated and air-conditioned — fresh air circulation is maximised throughout the service |
| ✓ Driver Hygiene Standards — Every Service | |
|---|---|
| ✓ | Drivers conduct a personal health self-assessment before every shift — any driver presenting as unwell does not work |
| ✓ | Drivers have access to hand sanitiser throughout their shift |
| ✓ | Drivers may choose to wear a face covering at their discretion — passengers are welcome to wear one at any time |
| ✓ | Drivers wear disposable gloves when handling passenger luggage and baggage |
| ✓ | Zero-tolerance drug and alcohol policy applies to all drivers on all services at all times |
3. Passenger Hygiene Guidance — Best Practice Recommendations
The following hygiene recommendations apply to all passengers on all Sydney Charter Bus Australia services. While most are not legally mandated, they reflect responsible travel practice and help protect all members of your group, the driver and the wider community.
| ✓ | Do not travel if you are unwell. If you have symptoms of a respiratory illness — cough, fever, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose or fatigue — please contact us before travelling. Seek medical advice if required. |
| ✓ | Practise good hand hygiene. Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds whenever possible during your journey. Use the hand sanitiser available on board, particularly before and after handling shared items. |
| ✓ | Cover coughs and sneezes. Use a tissue or the inside of your elbow — never your hands. Dispose of tissues in a sealed bin as soon as possible. |
| ✓ | Collect all personal belongings before disembarking. Take all personal items — including tissues, food wrappers, medication packaging and any other waste — with you when you leave the vehicle. Do not leave rubbish on the vehicle. |
| ✓ | Remain seated throughout the journey. Unnecessary movement around the vehicle is a safety risk under our Onboard Safety Policy — see Onboard Safety Policy. |
| ✓ | Be considerate of other passengers. If you believe you may be mildly unwell but choose to travel, inform the driver and your group organiser, wear a face covering and practise additional hygiene precautions for the duration of the journey. |
4. Biohazard Incidents — Body Fluid Spills on Board
| 4.1 | Vomiting and other body fluid incidents on board constitute a biohazard event and are subject to a specialist cleaning requirement under our Biohazard Incident Policy. This applies regardless of the cause — illness, motion sickness, alcohol consumption or any other reason. |
| 4.2 | Why a Biohazard Spill Kit is required: Body fluid incidents — including vomit, blood and other excretions — present a genuine blood-borne pathogen risk to the driver, subsequent passengers and anyone handling the vehicle. Under our duty of care obligations, Sydney Charter Bus Australia is required to maintain and deploy a single-use Biohazard Spill Kit for every such incident. These kits are specifically designed to safely neutralise body fluid spills, including blood-borne pathogens such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV, which can persist on surfaces without proper remediation. |
| 4.3 | Air-conditioning system flushing is required after any passenger vomiting incident. Odour and airborne contamination penetrate the A/C system and can persist for days, affecting all subsequent passengers and services. A full A/C system flush is mandatory before the vehicle returns to service. |
| 4.4 | The vehicle cannot return to service immediately following a biohazard event. The full remediation process — Biohazard Spill Kit deployment, surface cleaning, A/C flush and vehicle inspection — must be completed before any subsequent booking. This results in real operational loss of service availability, which is reflected in the fee structure. |
| 4.5 | Biohazard Cleaning Fee: $550.00 incl. GST per incident. This charge applies per incident to the client, in accordance with our Terms & Conditions of Charter & Hire. It will be invoiced separately at the conclusion of the service. Drivers do not collect this payment on the day — it is invoiced and charged through our office by credit card. |
5. NSW Onboard Conduct Laws — These Apply at All Times
The following rules reflect NSW road transport law and our Onboard Safety Policy. They are not COVID-19 measures — they are standard legal requirements for all passenger transport in NSW and apply on every service regardless of circumstances.
| ▶ | All passengers must wear a seatbelt at all times while the vehicle is in motion. One seatbelt per person — seatbelts must not be shared. |
| ▶ | All passengers must remain seated throughout the journey. Standing or walking in the aisle while the vehicle is in motion is prohibited. |
| ▶ | No food or drinks on board — including tea and coffee. This is a NSW law requirement applicable to all accredited passenger transport services. |
| ▶ | No snacks or food of any kind. No exceptions without prior written approval from our office. |
| ▶ | Bottled water is permitted. This is the only beverage exception. |
| ▶ | Zero alcohol policy. No opened or unopened alcohol is permitted on any vehicle at any time. Zero tolerance — no exceptions. |
| ▶ | No smoking or vaping. Strictly prohibited on all vehicles at all times. |
Full details: Onboard Safety Policy
6. Our Safety Management System & Accreditation
| Our Accreditation & Compliance | |
|---|---|
| NSW Bus Operator Accreditation | No. 39461 — Transport for NSW, Passenger Transport Act 2014 (NSW) |
| Safety Management System (SMS) | Maintained and operated under BOAS (Bus Operator Accreditation Scheme) — revised guidelines effective 24 October 2025 |
| Risk Register | All hazards including health and biohazard risks are identified, assessed and documented per BOAS SMS requirements |
| Driver Authority | All drivers hold a current NSW Driver Authority — issued by Transport for NSW |
| Drug & Alcohol | Zero-tolerance policy — all drivers, all services, all times |
| Health & Biohazard Policy Summary | |
|---|---|
| Standard cleaning fee | $88.00 incl. GST — excessive mess, spillage or soiling beyond normal use |
| Biohazard cleaning fee | $550.00 incl. GST per incident — passenger vomiting or any body fluid spill requiring Biohazard Spill Kit deployment + A/C flush |
| COVID-19 Public Health Orders | All repealed 30 November 2022 — no active orders |
| COVID isolation requirement | None — strongly recommended by NSW Health to stay home until symptoms resolve |
| Face coverings on charter buses | Not required — voluntary, at passenger or driver discretion |
Current Official References
| Source | Status / Relevance |
|---|---|
| NSW Health — COVID-19 Public Health Orders | All orders repealed effective 30 November 2022 — no active orders remain |
| NSW Government — Positive COVID-19 Advice | No mandatory isolation rules — strong recommendation to stay home until symptom-free. Last updated June 2024. |
| Transport for NSW — Bus Operator Updates | Revised BOAS Safety Management System Guidelines effective 24 October 2025 — no COVID-specific requirements for charter operators |
| NSW Government — Transport & COVID-19 | No restrictions on private charter buses, tour buses or minibuses — no passenger limits, no seating restrictions |
Disclaimer: The information on this page reflects the current legal position in NSW as at the time of publication (May 2026) regarding COVID-19 Public Health Orders and transport regulations. Laws and health guidelines may change. Readers should verify current requirements with NSW Health and NSW Government before relying on this information for compliance purposes. Sydney Charter Bus Pty Ltd does not provide legal or medical advice. See our full Website Disclaimer.
Health Concerns Before Your Service? Contact Us.
If you or any member of your group is unwell before your booking date, please contact our team as early as possible. We will always try to accommodate changes where we can.
📞 1300 468 199 | 📱 0413 182 999 | ✉ [email protected]
Office Hours: Monday–Friday 9:30am–4:30pm | Weekends 12:00pm–2:00pm | Public Holidays: Operational — Office Closed