Minibus Hire Across Australia

School excursions and camps, planned around the class

Whether it's one class off to the museum or a whole year group heading to Canberra, we'll ask accredited operators for a vehicle that suits your numbers, the distance and the shape of the day.

Sizing the vehicle to the group

A single class with two or three teachers often fits a minibus, which typically seats 16 to 19, or a midi coach at 29 to 35. A full year group usually needs a coach or two. Count every adult, and mention any student who uses a wheelchair, before we put the quote together.

Seat counts vary from vehicle to vehicle, so the quote will name the actual capacity offered rather than a range.

Executive Sprinter minibus, exterior
Executive Sprinter minibus, exterior

The questions your school may ask

Departments tend to want the same assurances. Victorian education guidance expects excursion transport to be planned ahead, with registered vehicles and properly licensed drivers. In NSW, a bus operator carrying the public must be accredited by Transport for NSW, and its drivers carry a Bus Driver Authority.

Ask us for the operator's details and we'll pass on what they provide. On seat belts, NSW can fine passengers aged over 16 who leave a fitted belt unbuckled, so a quick check before pulling away is worth making routine.

Rules worth knowing

  • Victorian excursion guidance notes that occupational health and safety laws require reasonably practicable steps to manage driver fatigue
  • In Victoria, bus operators with seating for 10 or more adults, including the driver, must be accredited, including community and courtesy services
  • ADR 68 sets seatbelt and seat-strength rules for heavy buses and coaches built from 1 July 1994; route-service buses are excluded

Canberra, museums and the drop-off dance

For the federal PACER rebate, a school group needs three of these four stops: the War Memorial, Parliament House, the National Electoral Education Centre and the Museum of Australian Democracy. Students are dropped and collected at the War Memorial's Schools' entrance, which isn't for parking; the few bus spaces are on Treloar Crescent.

At the National Library, buses set down right out the front but park beyond Questacon, so allow a few minutes for the driver to return. Near Melbourne, Sovereign Hill in Ballarat has a bus car park opposite its Bradshaw Street entrance.

Long days away from school

Sydney to Canberra is about three hours each way. For buses under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, standard hours cap the driver at 12 hours' work in 24, so a camp or overnight stay often suits the rules and the students better.

Your questions

Can teachers and parent helpers travel on the same vehicle?

Of course. Include them in the headcount so the seat numbers are right from the start.

Can a student who uses a wheelchair travel with the class?

Tell us early. We'll ask operators for a vehicle with a lift or ramp, but it depends on what's available that day, so we'll confirm before you finalise plans.

How far ahead should we book?

As soon as the date is set. Term-time weekdays are popular for excursions, and more notice means more choice of vehicle.

Cities

Vehicles