It is every student’s responsibility to behave in a manner that ensures the safety of all passengers and does not distract the bus driver. These rules apply to all students travelling on Symons Bus services.
As a contracted school bus operator under Transport for NSW, Symons Bus holds a legal duty of care for the safety and wellbeing of all students while travelling on our services. Enforcing this Code of Conduct is part of meeting that obligation — it is not discretionary. When a student’s behaviour creates a risk to others on board, we are legally required to act.
These Symons Bus rules operate alongside the official NSW Government Student Code of Conduct. Read the official Transport for NSW Student Code of Conduct ↗
- Follow all bus driver instructions
- Remain seated and face forward at all times
- Wear your seat belt
- Use appropriate, respectful language
- Treat the bus and all property with care
- Be respectful to other students and the driver
- Fighting, hitting, kicking, shoving, spitting or pushing
- Swearing, offensive language or distracting noises
- Feet on seats or damage to bus property
- Throwing items inside or out of the bus
- Back-chatting or arguing with the bus driver
- Bullying — verbal, physical, or via devices/photos
- Racist or hate speech of any kind
- Eating, drinking, chewing gum or smoking
- Playing loud music from devices
- Carrying prohibited or dangerous objects
Consequences of misbehaviour
If a student’s behaviour is a serious breach of conduct, the school and/or parents may need to be contacted, and police may be involved. The following warning system applies:
The number of warnings may be reduced depending on the severity of the incident. Symons Bus reserves the right to act immediately in cases of serious misconduct.
Statement of duty of care for young passengers
All students travelling on Symons Bus school services are under 18 years of age. Under NSW law, Symons Bus holds a duty of care for every student from the moment they board to the moment they safely alight. This is a legal and moral responsibility that we take seriously.
- Protecting all students from harm — including harm caused by the behaviour of other students on the bus
- Maintaining a safe environment — ensuring the bus is operated safely and that conduct does not distract the driver
- Acting on misbehaviour promptly — when a student’s behaviour puts others at risk, we are legally obligated to respond, regardless of the wishes of any individual parent
- Reporting incidents as required — all incidents are reported to Transport for NSW in accordance with our service contract obligations
- Keeping records — the Symons Bus misbehaviour register is a legal record maintained as part of our duty of care obligations
This duty of care applies to every student on board — not only your child. When we take action in response to a behaviour incident, we are acting in the interests of all young passengers in our care.
Raising a concern about your child’s travel
We understand it can be upsetting to hear that your child has received a warning or had their travel affected. We welcome genuine concerns raised in a respectful manner. As a contracted operator under Transport for NSW, our staff are obligated to enforce the Code of Conduct — they can only report what they directly witnessed on the bus.
The school principal is a key stakeholder in the school bus system and can liaise with us on your behalf. Raising concerns through the school is often a practical first step, particularly if the incident also involves other students or school grounds.
Symons Bus has a zero-tolerance policy for verbal abuse directed at our staff. Our drivers and office team have the right to work in a safe environment free from threats, intimidation, or abusive language.
Before you contact us, please:
- Wait until you are calm and have had time to consider the situation clearly
- Do not contact us while you are angry, distressed, or under the influence of alcohol or any substance
- Write down your concerns first — this helps ensure the conversation stays focused and productive
- Remember that our staff can only report what they directly witnessed, and were not present in any situation that occurred outside the bus