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 offers a subsidised private school bus service to students residing in nearby suburbs. These buses exclusively serve St Francis Xavier College students, assisting parents in transporting children to and from school.

The College also offers a shuttle service from campus to campus.

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; Ventura App to track our private bus service vehicles in real time, student tracking by tap on & tap off student cards, parent alerts & service alerts via SIMON.

The bus routes are reviewed annually and adjusted based on student demand and the locations of current students.  To be eligible for the private school buses, parents must complete an online application to reserve spots for their children for the upcoming year.

Applications are completed in Term 4. Future and current Parents will be notified via email when applications open.

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

Private Bus Service Terms and Conditions

Applications for 2025

The 2025 private school bus and shuttle registration closed at 5.00pm Tuesday 22 October 2024. We are now accepting late applications.

Please note: Late applications may not be fulfilled, and you may be placed on a waiting list; however, we will do our best to complete your registration needs.

To submit an application for 2025, please:

1. Read the Bus Information Booklet to determine which bus you need to register for. Parents may also view the bus routes via the Ventura Tracker App or online at AM and PM Bus Routes
2. Complete the 2025 Private School Bus Application Form

All Officer and Beaconsfield students must complete:

Private Bus Conveyance Allowance Form and email it to busenquiries@sfx.vic.edu.au

For assistance completing the Private Bus Conveyance Allowance form, please visit Admissions – Transport – Travel Conveyance Allowance or Further details of the DET Conveyance Allowance Policy.

• Complete 1 registration per child.
• All applications are for the AM and PM service.
• Your application is finalised once all the above steps have been completed.

The College will endeavour to accommodate your needs, please allow 1-2 working days for your application to be processed.  You will be emailed with the outcome as soon as possible.

For detailed bus information including:

• All College bus routes and timetables
• Private Bus Service Conditions of use
• The annual application processes
• Annual cost for all students
• The College policy for cancelling the service
• Detailed information regarding Student Cards – used to tap on, off the bus
• How to order a replacement student card
• The Ventura Tracker App
• SIMON school bus notifications
• Private Bus Travel Conveyance Allowance

Please refer to the: Bus Information Booklet.

Safety

The safety and well-being of students who utilize our college’s private school bus services are of utmost importance to us. The private school bus terms and conditions outlines the measures to be taken to ensure the highest standards of safety for students during transit, especially concerning the wearing of seatbelts and the restriction against standing while the bus is in motion. We request the cooperation of parents, guardians, students, in adhering to the terms and conditions to safeguard all passengers.

Private Bus Travel Conveyance Allowance Form

All Officer and Beaconsfield campus families are asked to complete the: Private Bus Conveyance Allowance Form.

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.

Travel Conveyance Allowance Victoria

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.

The conveyance allowance is a contribution towards transport costs and is not intended to cover the full cost of transporting children to and from school.

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 PTV School Student ID Pass.

• PTV – School students – for information about PTV school student ID pass

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.

• One application form can be used for the full year.
• If you do not know the VSN number, please leave this blank. The College will complete this on your behalf.
• FTE = 1. Student must attend 3 days i.e., FTE 0.6 or more.
• All applications must be submitted during the current calendar year. Late applications can not be accepted after the Term 4 closing date.
• Forms must be received 1 week prior to the closing date. Please refer to DET Conveyance Allowance Policy below for details.

Forms

• Private Car Conveyance Allowance Form.
• Public Transport Conveyance Allowance Form.

Applications can be submitted to busenquiries@sfx.vic.edu.au or to Student Services at each campus.

Further details of the DET Conveyance Allowance Policy are available here.