School Terms & Conditions of Charter & Hire
Sydney Charter Bus Pty Ltd | Trading as Sydney Charter Bus Australia
Last Updated: 19 May 2026 | These School Terms & Conditions apply specifically to all school charter and hire services and are to be read in conjunction with our General Terms & Conditions of Charter & Hire. Where any conflict exists between these School Terms and the General Terms, the provisions on this page take precedence.
| Operator | Sydney Charter Bus Pty Ltd (trading as Sydney Charter Bus Australia) | ABN: 44 134 888 912 |
| Accreditation | NSW Accreditation No. 39461 — Transport for NSW Bus Operator Accreditation Scheme (BOAS) |
| Applies to | All school excursion, sporting, camp and event charter services — public and private schools |
| Read with | These School Terms must be read together with the General Terms & Conditions of Charter & Hire. Where any conflict exists, these School Terms take precedence. |
| Governing law | Laws of New South Wales, Australia |
🏫 School Charter & Hire | NSW Accreditation No. 39461 | Transport for NSW BOAS Accredited | All Vehicles Seatbelted & Air-Conditioned
1. Booking & Confirmation
1.1 All bookings require a Booking ID generated through the Sydney Charter Bus booking system. A booking is not confirmed without a valid Booking ID.
1.2 A written booking confirmation and tax invoice will be issued to the school or authorised representative via email upon confirmation of the booking.
1.3 Quoted fares are based on the itinerary, timings and locations supplied at the time of booking. Prices are subject to revision if any change is made to the agreed timings, locations, passenger numbers or service requirements.
2. Cancellation Policy
All cancellations must be submitted in writing via email. The following cancellation fees apply based on the notice provided prior to the scheduled service:
| Notice Period Before Service | Cancellation Fee |
|---|---|
| More than 72 hours (3 days) prior | No charge |
| Within 72 hours (3 days) of service | 10% of total booking cost |
| Within 48 hours of service | 20% of total booking cost |
| Within 24 hours of service | 100% of total booking cost |
| No-show or cancellation on the day | 100% of total booking cost |
Cancellation fees apply to the full cost of the confirmed service. A cancellation is not effective until received in writing and formally acknowledged by Sydney Charter Bus Australia.
2.1 Administrative Fee – Refunds and Cancellations
Where a refund is approved following a cancellation, an administrative fee of $100 (inclusive of GST) will be deducted from the refund amount. This fee reflects the time and resources required to process cancellations, issue credit notes, amend invoices, liaise with accounts, and manage associated booking administration. The balance of any refundable amount will be returned to the client using the original payment method within 10 business days of the cancellation being confirmed in writing.
3. Changes to Confirmed Bookings
3.1 All requests to change a confirmed booking — including changes to the service date, pickup or drop-off time, locations, or passenger numbers — must be submitted in writing at least 3 days (72 hours) prior to the scheduled service and are subject to fleet availability.
3.2 Where a requested change increases the cost of the service — including changes to route, timing, duration, vehicle size, or number of stops — additional charges will apply and a revised quote will be issued.
3.3 Sydney Charter Bus Australia cannot guarantee that late or last-minute change requests will be accommodated. Changes requested within 72 hours of the service date are at the absolute discretion of the operator.
4. Overtime & Waiting Time
4.1 Where a service extends beyond the confirmed booking time, overtime charges will apply from the point the booking time is exceeded.
4.2 Overtime is calculated in 20-minute blocks at a rate of $55.00 per 20 minutes ($165.00 per hour) inclusive of GST.
4.3 Overtime charges are in addition to the confirmed booking fare and will be invoiced following the service. The school or authorising representative accepts liability for all overtime charges incurred.
🔔 To avoid overtime, we strongly recommend building a minimum 15-minute buffer into your itinerary for all school services, and allowing adequate loading and unloading time at each stop.
5. Payment Terms
5.1 Full payment is required in accordance with the terms agreed at the time of booking. Payment terms will be confirmed in writing on the invoice.
5.2 All amounts are quoted and invoiced in Australian dollars and are inclusive of GST.
5.3 Accepted payment methods:
| ✓ | Credit Card |
| ✓ | Purchase Order (PO) |
| ✓ | Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) |
| ✓ | P-Card (Government Purchasing Card) |
6. Passenger Conduct & Onboard Safety
The following conduct and safety requirements apply to all passengers on all school charter services. The school or authorising organisation is responsible for briefing students and accompanying staff on these requirements prior to travel.
| ✗ | No smoking, alcohol or illegal substances — strictly prohibited on all school services at all times |
| ✗ | No food or hot beverages — bottled water is the only permitted beverage on board at all times |
| ✓ | All passengers must remain seated throughout the journey while the vehicle is in motion |
| ✓ | All passengers must wear seatbelts at all times where seatbelts are fitted to the vehicle |
| ✓ | All passengers must comply with all safety directions issued by the driver at all times |
| ! | The operator reserves the right to refuse service or terminate the journey where any passenger’s conduct presents a safety risk. The school remains liable for costs incurred in such circumstances. |
7. School & Organiser Responsibilities
| ✓ | A responsible adult — a teacher or authorised staff member — must be present during boarding, the journey, and disembarkation at all times. The school retains primary duty of care and supervision over all students throughout the service. |
| ✓ | Accurate passenger numbers must be confirmed at the time of booking. Where actual passenger numbers on the day exceed the confirmed booking, additional transport cannot be guaranteed. |
| ✓ | Any special needs, medical conditions, mobility requirements or other risks relevant to the service must be communicated to Sydney Charter Bus Australia prior to travel. |
| ✓ | All pickup and drop-off locations must provide safe and lawful bus access. The school is responsible for ensuring adequate turning space, legal stopping areas and site access at all locations in the itinerary. |
8. Liability & Limitation
8.1 Sydney Charter Bus Australia is not responsible for delays or service disruptions arising from circumstances beyond reasonable control, including but not limited to severe weather, road closures, traffic incidents, or mechanical failure.
8.2 The school, organiser and responsible adult are liable for any loss or damage to the vehicle caused by passengers during the service. The cost of any damage will be invoiced to the school or authorising organisation.
8.3 To the maximum extent permitted by law, Sydney Charter Bus Australia’s total aggregate liability is limited to the charter fee paid for the affected service. The operator is not liable for indirect, consequential, or special loss of any kind.
8.4 Passengers and their personal property travel entirely at their own risk. Sydney Charter Bus Australia is not liable for loss, theft or damage to personal belongings under any circumstances.
⚠ SECTION 8A — VEHICLE CLEANING, BIOHAZARD & OHS POLICY
This section forms part of these School Terms & Conditions. All school excursion coordinators must read and understand this policy before booking.
8A.1 Why Vomit Is a Genuine Occupational Health & Safety Hazard
This section exists because vomit on a charter bus is not simply an inconvenience. It is a documented occupational health and safety hazard with serious implications for the health of the driver, subsequent passengers, vehicle cleaning staff and anyone else who enters the vehicle before full biohazard remediation has been completed. School excursion coordinators and principals are asked to take this section seriously. It is not boilerplate. It reflects a genuine risk that Sydney Charter Bus Australia manages under our OHS obligations as an employer and transport operator under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW).
⚠ The Norovirus Biohazard Risk — What Schools Need to Know
The primary infectious hazard associated with vomit in an enclosed vehicle is Norovirus — the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis in Australia and one of the most contagious pathogens known to science. Norovirus is the most frequent cause of gastroenteritis outbreaks in NSW schools and childcare centres.
The infectious dose of Norovirus is extraordinarily low. As few as 10 to 20 viral particles are sufficient to cause infection in a healthy adult. By comparison, a single episode of vomiting releases more than 30 million Norovirus particles into the surrounding environment — including the air of the vehicle.
Norovirus becomes airborne during a vomiting episode. The violent expulsion of vomit aerosolises viral particles into a fine mist that disperses across the surrounding area. In a sealed, air-conditioned vehicle, this aerosol is drawn into and circulated through the air conditioning system. Peer-reviewed medical research published in Clinical Infectious Diseases and PMC has documented Norovirus concentrations of up to 2,350 particles per cubic metre of air following a vomiting incident. Cases of Norovirus infection attributed to air conditioning units processing contaminated vehicle air have been reported in the medical literature. This is why the air conditioning system of any vehicle in which vomiting occurs must be flushed and treated before the vehicle returns to service — regardless of how minor the incident appears.
Norovirus particles survive on hard surfaces, seat fabric and soft furnishings for up to 60 days after initial contamination. They resist many common household disinfectants. Effective decontamination requires biohazard-grade cleaning agents, full PPE for cleaning staff, and complete treatment of all surfaces within the contamination zone.
Beyond Norovirus, vomit may also carry Rotavirus, E. coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter. Under Safe Work Australia guidelines and the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW), vomit is classified as a potentially infectious biological material requiring biohazard-level precautions during cleanup. These are not guidelines we have written ourselves — they reflect current Australian and international occupational health standards.
8A.2 What Vehicle Decontamination Actually Requires
When a student vomits in or on a charter bus, the vehicle cannot be returned to service until the following steps are completed:
- Immediate containment — the affected area must be isolated. Passengers must be moved away. Aerosol contamination extends several feet in all directions from the point of impact.
- Full PPE for cleaning staff — gloves, protective eyewear and a face mask are required before approaching the contamination zone. Cleaning without PPE presents a direct infection risk to the cleaner.
- Biohazard spill kit application — vomit must be treated using a certified biohazard spill kit. Standard cleaning products are insufficient. Biohazard kits include absorbent solidifying agents, biohazard-grade disinfectant and sealed disposal bags for all contaminated materials.
- Air conditioning system flush — mandatory for any air-conditioned vehicle in which vomiting has occurred. The A/C system distributes airborne viral particles throughout the vehicle during operation and must be fully treated before the vehicle carries another passenger.
- Seat and upholstery treatment — contaminated seat fabric requires deep cleaning with biohazard-grade disinfectant. Where full decontamination cannot be achieved, seat replacement is required.
- Mandatory vehicle downtime — the vehicle is removed from service until all of the above steps are complete. This takes a minimum of several hours and may extend to a full day. All subsequent bookings requiring that vehicle must be covered by an alternative, at additional cost to the operator.
8A.3 Cleaning Fee Schedule
The following cleaning fees apply to all school excursion bookings. These fees are charged in addition to the standard charter fee, are not negotiable, and reflect the actual cost of biohazard remediation, PPE, specialist cleaning and vehicle downtime.
| Incident Type | Cleaning Fee | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| General mess — excess litter, food, dirt | $88 inc. GST | Cleaning beyond normal post-service standard |
| Vomit on the vehicle floor | $350 inc. GST | Biohazard spill kit, floor decontamination, A/C system flush, PPE, biohazard waste disposal, vehicle downtime |
| Seat soiling — vomit on seat fabric or upholstery | $550 inc. GST | All of the above, plus deep cleaning or replacement of affected seat fabric. Extended vehicle downtime. |
Cleaning fees are invoiced to the school immediately following the service and are payable within 14 days. Sydney Charter Bus Australia reserves the right to add further costs where vehicle damage or contamination requires specialist remediation beyond the scope of the schedule above.
✓ HOW TO AVOID THE CLEANING FEE ENTIRELY — SICKNESS BAGS
One simple, inexpensive precaution eliminates the biohazard risk and the cleaning fee in almost every situation.
8A.4 Sickness Bags — Strongly Recommended for All School Excursions
Sydney Charter Bus Australia strongly recommends that all schools carry sickness bags (emesis bags) on every bus excursion. Sickness bags are inexpensive, widely available from pharmacies and medical supply companies, and take up negligible space in a teacher’s bag or first aid kit.
If a student feels unwell during the journey and vomits into a sickness bag, the bag is sealed and disposed of, the student is managed by the teacher in charge, and the vehicle remains fully uncontaminated. Where a sickness bag is used correctly and the vehicle is not contaminated, no cleaning fee applies.
Sickness bags are available from pharmacies, medical supply companies and online suppliers. We recommend a minimum of one sickness bag per student for any journey of 30 minutes or more, carried by the teacher in charge as part of the standard excursion first aid kit.
| Situation | Cleaning Fee | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| ✓ Student vomits into sickness bag — sealed, vehicle uncontaminated | $0 | No fee. No biohazard. Vehicle continues service. |
| ✗ Student vomits on the vehicle floor | $350 | Biohazard remediation. Vehicle taken off service. |
| ✗ Student vomits on seat fabric or upholstery | $550 | Deep clean or seat replacement. Extended downtime. |
🔔 Add to Your Excursion Checklist: Sickness bags alongside first aid kits, student medications and emergency contacts. One bag per student for journeys over 30 minutes, carried by the teacher in charge. This single precaution protects your students, your driver, your school’s budget, and eliminates the vehicle biohazard risk entirely.
9. Force Majeure & Governing Law
9.1 Neither party shall be liable for delay or failure to perform obligations arising from events beyond their reasonable control, including natural disasters, declared public health emergencies, government-imposed restrictions, industrial action, or major transport network disruptions (Force Majeure).
9.2 These School Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia. All disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New South Wales.
🚫 School Acknowledgement
By submitting a booking, the school, authorised representative or organiser acknowledges that they have read, understood and accepted these School Terms & Conditions in full, together with the General Terms & Conditions of Charter & Hire.
Where any conflict or inconsistency exists between these School Terms and the General Terms, the provisions set out on this page take precedence.
Related Policies & Documents
Sydney Charter Bus Pty Ltd trading as Sydney Charter Bus Australia | ABN: 44 134 888 912 | NSW Accreditation No. 39461 | Macquarie Park NSW 2113 | Ph: 1300 468 199