Transport

Each of our campuses has a designated pick up and drop off area for students and families. We also offer secure bicycle storage on each campus. You can find specific information for each of the campuses at our Berwick, Officer and Beaconsfield pages under the Key Information section.

St Francis Xavier College has a Private Bus fleet that assists parents in transporting children to and from school. The College also offers a shuttle service from campus to campus.

Applications for the private school bus must be completed each year.

The College, together with our service provider Ventura Transit Pty Ltd, is committed to offering:

• Safety: every student has access to a seat, with seatbelt; friendly highly trained drivers
• Comfort: vehicles equipped with heating and cooling for personal comfort
• Efficient Service: Interactive private school bus route maps and times; Bus Minder App to track our private bus service vehicles in real time, student tracking by tap on & tap off RFID cards, parent alerts & service alerts

The 2023 bus routes can be viewed in the 2023 Bus Information Booklet. Parents may also view the routes via the Ventura Tracker App or online at AM and PM Bus Routes

Private Bus Service Terms and Conditions 

To submit an application, please:

1. Read the 2023 Bus Information Booklet to determine which bus you need to register for.
2. Complete the 2023 Private School Bus Application Form.
3. Complete the 2023 School Bus Travel Contract Form.
4. Complete the Private Bus Conveyance Form and email it to busenquiries@sfx.vic.edu.au

Private Bus Service Fees

The College is committed to subsidising the cost of the private bus service. The annual subsidised cost (including GST) per student is $990, equal to $5.45 per day.

All costs are an annual fee and will be charged per student, including shuttle only services – there is no “one way” charge.

Bus fees will be invoiced to your Education Fee Account.

Pivate Bus Conveyance Allowance Forms

All families are asked to complete the Private Bus Conveyance Allowance Forms.

The College uses Conveyance Allowance funds received from the Department of Education to reduce the cost of the Private Bus Service for families. The funds received are retained by the College to subsidise the annual cost of the Private Bus Service.

Student Cards

Student cards will be issued to all students and used as your child’s student bus pass to tap on/off the school bus. Students must always carry their student card. They must also produce the pass upon request.

Replacement Cards

If a student has misplaced or forgotten their student card, they can request a temporary pass prior to 2.00pm, during recess or lunch time from Student Services.

In the afternoon, if student is unable to produce either a temporary pass or regular pass as they are boarding the bus, they will not be allowed to board the bus. Students will then be instructed to go to Reception/Student Services to call parents/guardians to arrange an alternative way home.

If a replacement student card is required, a signed note from the parent/guardian and $5.00 needs to be submitted to Student Services or ordered online via CDF pay. A new student card will then be issued to the student.

Ventura GPS Tracking

Ventura Tracker uses GPS technology to track each school bus. Schools, parents, and students can access this information via the APP or Ventura Website to view where the bus is, the route the bus will take, the designated bus stops, and the times for each stop (Scheduled, Actual, and Departed). The College can also track each student’s use of the bus through a touch on/touch off system.Please see the bus track brochure for information and instructions on how to download the App.

SIMON Everywhere App – PAM App

Notifications will be made to the SIMON Everywhere App, including notifications about late running buses, disruptions to the GPS tracking and bus breakdowns/delays. All notifications to the AM and PM service will be sent via the SIMON Everywhere App.

The SIMON Everywhere App can run on Android and iOS devices.  It can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Full details regarding the installation process can be found in PAM under Knowledge Bank / Parent Information / SIMON Everywhere App.

Further Information

For further questions, please contact our Transport Coordinator Kirsty Burkwood at busenquiries@sfx.vic.edu.au

Each of our three campuses is accessible by both bus and train. All students who travel using the Public Transport Victoria (PTV) network are required to carry a Myki card. Students under 18 years old can use a Child Myki, but must carry a proof of age card with them as well if they are 17 or 18.

Students who travel very regularly on public transport may opt to get a Victorian Student Pass, or Yearly Myki. This allows for unlimited travel on the PTV network. Students must also receive a PTV School Student ID card, which can be applied for on the PTV website. Students must carry both their Myki and ID when travelling.

For specific public transport information relating to each campus, please look at our Berwick, Officer and Beaconsfield pages under the Key Information section.

Students and families may be eligible for financial support to assist with transport costs through the Conveyance Allowance Program. This is available to students of our Beaconsfield and Officer campuses travelling by public transport, private car or the College’s private bus network.

To be eligible for the Conveyance Allowance, students must:

• attend their nearest school appropriate to their year level at which admission is permissible;
• be enrolled at a school or campus outside of Melbourne’s metropolitan conveyance boundary (meaning only Beaconsfield or Officer at SFXC);
• reside 4.8km or more from that school or campus by the shortest practicable route; and
• be of school age and reside in Victoria.

Public transport applications must include proof of purchase of a half-yearly or yearly Victorian Student Pass. Further details of the DET Conveyance Allowance Policy are available here.

The College will allocate the full amount received against the family school fee account for students travelling by public transport or private car. For students using the private bus fleet, families must authorise the College to retain the allowance on their behalf, allowing us to reduce the cost of the private bus service for the entire community.

Private Car Conveyance Allowance Form

Public Transport Conveyance Allowance Form