Dear Central Coast Schools

The Entrance Red Bus Services would like to advise all schools that the moratorium period for not presenting an Opal card for those students entitled to free school travel has now passed.

Transport for NSW allow a period of two weeks to allow all students to receive their new Opal cards for the new school year.

Under Transport for NSW guidelines any student travelling to or from school by bus is required to present and tap on and off with a current valid Opal card.

Opal tap on and off numbers play an integral role in determining school bus requirements for the number of students requiring these services.

For example if 5 children tap on with an Opal card and 45 students board, in reporting viewed by Transport for NSW this service is carrying only 5 students.

The concerning situation is that this example of minimal Opal usage is very common on the majority of school services and with increasing numbers of children needing to catch school bus services, the government would be reluctant to allow any further services to be added as the Opal statistics are not a true reflection of bus patronage.

The greater concern could be that services may be lost rather than added.

We are requesting the support and assistance of the schools in assuring that all students travelling by bus to and from school have and use a valid Opal card every trip.

These free school opal cards are for a student to travel to and from school during each school term and not for after hours travel or weekend usage.

Visit www.opal.com.au for further information or to apply.

Could you please make mention of this in your school newsletter or website.

I have attached an image that may also be useful.

Kind Regards
The Entrance Red Bus Services

Red Bus Services Pty Limited
ABN 44 000 103 524

PO Box 3186 Bateau Bay NSW Australia 2261
Tel: 02 4332 8655

Email: info@redbus.com.au
Web: www.redbus.com.au