Here are some frequently-asked questions that school communities and bus operators often have about school transport. If you have a question that doesn't appear below please feel free to make contact with us or take advantage of our free advice service.

faqs
What are the benefits of Direct Resourcing for school communities?
Is Direct Resourcing right for our school community?
How does my school get into the Direct Resourcing programme?
Is our community required to contract out bus services?
Do I have to use a transport admin services provider?
Why should I use a transport admin service provider?
How do I know that I'm getting all of the funding I'm entitled to?
Do I have to tender my school bus routes?
Does my Direct Resourcing network need to have a formal agreement?
What are the safety requirements for schools buses?
Do Service Agents work for the Ministry of Education or for schools?
Can my network or school form or use a company to manage our directly resourced transport network?
Do I need any special licensing to manage a school transport operation?

What are the benefits of Direct Resourcing for my school community?
Direct Resourcing provides school communities with the flexibility to manage school transport for their students in whatever way they see fit. They can provide assistance to more students and specify higher quality than the basic service provided by the Ministry. They can have control over which bus operator provides bus services and manage their network so as to achieve efficiencies and realise surpluses which can be used to top-up school funding.

Is Direct Resourcing right for our school community?
There are a number of things to consider when deciding if Direct Resourcing is right for your community. Primarily you need to determine whether the level of funding provided by the government will be enough to contract bus services in your local area. Contact SSTS for no-obligation advice on whether Direct Resourcing will work for your community.

How does my school get into the Direct Resourcing programme?
Your school is able to enter the Direct Resourcing programme when a Ministry contract is not in place. This generally happens every six years, but there are some situations in which things happen outside the normal cycle - contact SSTS for details.

Is our Direct Resourcing network required to contract out bus services?
You are not required to contract out bus services - you can provide assistance to students in whatever way you see fit.

Do I have to use a transport admin services provider?
One of the benefits of Direct Resourcing is that you can choose to manage your network in whatever way you see fit. You are most definitely not required to use the services of one of the Ministry's Service Agents.

Why should I use a transport admin service provider?
The key reason to use a transport admin service provider is that it frees up your time to focus on what you do best: improving educational outcomes for your students. Using an external party with the right sort of expertise gives you peace of mind that your community is making the most of the government's school transport policy. SSTS aims to eliminate administration requirements for school personnel.

How do I know that I'm getting all of the funding I'm entitled to?
The only way to ensure that you are getting your full entitlement is to have your funding reviewed by an independent party. This independent review will determine whether all of your eligible students are generating the full funding entitlement and that routes have been designed correctly.

Do Service Agents work for the Ministry of Education or for schools?
Despite their best efforts to remain impartial, many school communities feel that it’s impossible for a Service Agent to get the best possible deal for a school whilst being on the Ministry’s payroll. This raises the need for an independent party to provide advice and to advocate for schools, caregivers and children.

Do I have to tender my school bus routes?
Yes. If your community elects to contract out services to a bus operator you must use an open process similar to that used by the ministry, including advertising certain routes on the government's tender website. There are a number of options available to schools to get the results they want from contracting out their bus routes, please get in touch with us for further advice.

Does my Direct Resourcing network need to have a formal agreement?
Yes. In any situation where more than one school shares a bus route there needs to be a formal agreement in place to cover the operation of the network. Templates for such agreements are readily available from SSTS.

What are the safety requirements for schools bus services?
Bus operators are required to meet a large number of safety requirements relating to both vehicles and drivers. From January 2009 direct resourcing are required to monitor bus operators to ensure that these requirements are being met and to report back to the ministry on the results of this monitoring. Safety requirements include driver licensing and training, vehicle age and safety checks, maintenance programmes, insurances and reporting.

Can my network or school form or use a company to manage our directly resourced transport network?
In most cases the answer is no. Schools cannot own shares in companies, incorporated societies, etc. without the approval of the Ministers of Education and Finance under s161 of the Crown Entities Act 2004. Any school with a shareholding or interest in a company will receive a qualified audit report accompanying it's annual financial statements. SSTS can advise your network how to structure its operations to remain within the law while still distributing surplus funding to individual boards.

Do I need any special licensing to manage a school transport operation?
Yes. If your school decides to own your own vehicles and supply drivers your need to have a Passenger Service License. This aspect of school transport can be quite tricky so please do make contact with SSTS for advice on how to best manage your particualr situation.