Welcome

This handbook is for every driver who drives for Plum Oak Pty Ltd (trading as Fitzroy Crossing Buses). It covers our school bus contracts with the Public Transport Authority (PTA), our On-Demand Booking Service work under authorisation 1001091, patient transport, charter and community transport. It brings together our Code of Conduct, the PTA Driver’s Instructions, and the safety procedures that apply to drivers.

Read it before you drive and ask the Operations Manager if anything is unclear. A printed copy of the Driver’s Instructions must be kept on every school bus.

1. Who you are when you drive for us

When you drive for Plum Oak you represent the company, the communities we serve, and the families of every passenger on board. Our work connects Kimberley people to school, health care, work and family. Drive in a way that earns the trust of every passenger and family.

• Keep good personal hygiene and a neat, clean appearance. Wear proper clothing with shoes or boots.
• No profane or obscene language, especially anywhere students can hear.
• Respect Aboriginal cultural protocols on the routes you drive. If a passenger or family asks for an alternative route for cultural reasons, ring the Operations Manager.

2. Licences and clearances

You must hold, keep current, and show on request (to us, the PTA or the Department of Transport):

• A WA driver licence of the correct class for the vehicle you drive.
• A Driver of Public Vehicle Authorisation (PTD) from DoT. This is mandatory.
• A National Police Clearance on employment.
• A Working with Children card.
• A current first aid certificate (St John Ambulance or an equivalent approved course).
• A current commercial vehicle medical certificate.
• Your Plum Oak driver ID card.

You must tell us straight away if:

• you stop holding any of the above, or any of them expires, or
• you are charged with or convicted of a traffic offence (other than one dealt with by an infringement notice), any offence involving sexual abuse of or indecent dealing with a child, or any offence involving violence.

We track expiry dates and will not roster you if anything is out of date. Upload photos of renewals through the Driver Portal form.

3. Fit for work, before every shift

• Fitness for work. Complete the fitness for work check before you drive. If you are not fit, do not drive. Ring the Operations Manager. You will never be penalised for this.
• Sleep. You need at least 7 hours’ sleep opportunity in the previous 24 hours. If you have not had it, do not start.
• Alcohol and drugs. Zero alcohol. Not affected by any drug or medication that could impair you (see section 14).
• Know the vehicle. Do not drive a vehicle you have not had familiarisation training on.
• Pre-start check. Do the pre-start bus check (the QR sticker on the dash) and record any defect. If a defect is safety critical (brakes, steering, indicators, or headlights for night driving) do not drive the vehicle. Tag it and ring the office.
• Route. Check the route condition board, or ask the office, that every part of your route is open and suitable for your vehicle. If part of it is closed, agree an alternative route with the Site Manager before you leave.
• On board. Fuel, water, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, UHF radio and phone, and for remote trips a satellite phone. Child check alarm working (school buses).
• Paperwork. Read the run sheet or booking and any passenger notes (medical, mobility, escort).

4. While driving

• Follow all WA road rules and drive to the conditions. Plum Oak speed policy: maximum 100 km/h on remote bitumen, 80 km/h on gravel.
• Drive the approved route in the route narrative and keep to the timetable. Report any deviation.
• Everyone wears a seatbelt, you included. Remind passengers to buckle up and stay buckled for the whole trip.
• Passengers stay seated while moving. Nobody rides on the steps, in the entry area, or where they block your view.
• Doors closed whenever the bus is moving. Escape doors stay unlocked whenever passengers are on board.
• Stop before crossing a railway crossing that has no flashing lights, and at intersections with main roads.
• No handheld phone. Hands free only, with the phone mounted.
• No eating or drinking from open containers while moving. Keep music low enough to hear passengers.
• Never carry firearms or weapons, heavy or bulky objects, or fuel in any container other than the vehicle’s tank.
• Keep the aisle, doors and emergency exits clear of bags and objects.

5. Remote road technique

Most of our serious risk is on remote roads, not in town.

• Plan your braking. Do not brake hard mid corner.
• On gravel keep at least 6 seconds following distance. Let road trains through, then slow for the dust.
• At dawn and dusk slow by at least 20 km/h and watch the shoulders for wildlife.
• Never drive into a flooded crossing. Turn around and ring the office.

6. School runs

Morning

• Drive the approved route and pick up every student waiting at their approved stop.
• Where the run carries kindergarten children, deliver them first. Keep that routine even on days with no kindy students.
• Drop students at each school at least 10 minutes before classes start.
• Drop any other students at their approved stops.
• At the last school, do the child check (section 7).

Afternoon

• Be at the first school when school finishes, load approved students and leave within 10 minutes. Kindy children are picked up first where the run carries them.
• Drop every student at their approved stop. Never drop a student at a different stop unless it has been agreed.
• Warn students getting off about traffic. Do not open the doors if approaching traffic or another hazard puts them at risk.
• At the terminus, do the child check (section 7).

Rules for every school run

• Do not leave the bus with students on board and the engine running, except to help a student on or off or to get luggage. Stay right by the bus and get back on promptly.
• If you know a student is absent, do not drive a section of the route you would only drive to collect them. If skipping a section changes the timetable, the parents and carers of affected students must be told.
• Attendance record. Each school day record the names of students who travelled, whether AM or PM, the stop number, and the total on board at each stop including the school. On an Education Support run the bus aide keeps this register instead.
• Young and vulnerable students sit at the front where practical. No young child sits in the seat next to the driver.
• Report to the office when parents or carers do not tell you about changes or absences, or do not bring young children to the bus or meet them in the afternoon.
• Unapproved students. Every student needs PTA Transport Assistance approval (schoolbuses.wa.gov.au). If a student who is not approved turns up at a stop, never leave them there. Carry them to school and home, tell them they need to apply (give them a “Save Your Seat” brochure if you have one), and report it to the office. If the bus is full, ring the office.
• Adults. No adult travels on a school bus without prior PTA approval. Refer any request to the office.
• Changes. Tell the office when a student stops travelling, a spur is no longer needed, or a timetable change becomes permanent. Schools usually do not tell the PTA, so you are the main source of this information.
• Students with a medical condition or disability may have a Medical Action Plan. Know the plans for students on your run and follow them.

7. Child check, every run, every seat

At the end of every morning and afternoon run:

1. Turn off the ignition. The child check alarm starts.
2. Walk the full length of the aisle to the back of the bus. Look at every row and every seat, under every seat, and in every booster seat or place a small child could be out of sight.
3. Only then press the alarm button at the rear.
4. Do not switch the battery isolator off until the check is complete.

• Also check the bus at the last school on the morning run and at the last stop on the afternoon run, before heading back to the depot.
• Where there is a bus aide, the aide checks too. Two sets of eyes.
• The alarm must never be bypassed, isolated or tampered with. Tampering is a disciplinary matter.
• Know how the alarm on your bus works (Child Check-Mate, Doran, Bus Scan and others behave slightly differently). Alarms that sound after a 30 second delay are tested weekly by letting them sound. Report any fault as a defect straight away.
• If you find a child: keep them with you, check they are OK, and ring the office and the school or parent immediately.

8. Seating and loading

• Nobody sits on the floor or stands in the aisle. Ever.
• One student per seatbelt. Two students never share a belt.
• On a 2/3 educator seat, three students may sit across only if none needs a booster and each weighs under 38 kg. The third student uses a lap-sash belt or, if there isn’t one, an H harness. Students over 38 kg or needing a booster count as adults.
• Bags go under the seat or in the luggage area, never in the aisle or in front of a door or exit.
• Do not carry an empty wheelchair unless it is stowed in the luggage bins or the PTA has approved it in writing.

9. Student behaviour

You supervise student behaviour on the bus. Students must follow the Student Code of Conduct:

• No bullying, fighting, spitting or offensive language. No throwing things in or out of the bus.
• No eating, drinking or smoking. No weapons or dangerous items.
• Sit properly with seatbelts on. No standing while moving or standing forward of the front seat. Nothing out the windows.
• Follow the driver’s directions without argument. Respect other people and bus property.
• Wait well back until the bus stops, get off in an orderly way, and never cross in front of the bus. Wait until it has gone.

Breaches are managed under the PTA Behaviour Management Guidelines, in four categories: 1 nuisance and non compliant, 2 threatening and improper, 3 dangerous and highly offensive, 4 extremely dangerous, destructive and offensive. Report every breach to the office so it can be recorded. Students who breach the rules can be banned from the bus.

Refusing to carry. If you reasonably believe a student is, or is likely to be, a danger to themselves, you or anyone else on the bus, then in consultation with the office you may stop the bus and have the student placed in the care of a responsible adult, or take the student to their school or home. Complete an incident report afterwards.

10. Unsafe adult passengers

On ODBS, patient and charter work, if a passenger is intoxicated, aggressive or putting anyone at risk:

• Stay calm and use a low, even voice. Do not argue.
• Pull over somewhere safe if their behaviour makes driving unsafe.
• If there is an immediate threat, ring 000 first, then the Operations Manager.
• You may suspend the trip. You will not be penalised for a good faith decision made for safety.
• Complete an incident report before the end of the shift.

11. Passengers with disabilities and special needs

• Ask how you can help. Do not assume.
• Assistance animals travel free and stay with their handler.
• For vision impaired passengers, say your name and the vehicle, and offer your arm.
• For hearing impaired passengers, face them when you speak and use clear visual cues.
• Give elderly or unsteady passengers time getting on and off.
• Where a wheelchair, harness or postural restraint is used, make sure it is correctly secured before moving.
• Plum Oak does not dispatch wheelchair accessible vehicles through ODBS 1001091. Refer any WAV booking back to the Operations Manager.

12. Breakdowns and emergencies

Every bus carries an Emergency Plan and Emergency Procedure Guides (EPGs): EPG 1 vehicle breakdown, EPG 2 student medical emergency, and EPG 4 bush fire, with local versions for each area. Read the ones for your run before your first trip. The Emergencies and contacts page has the key steps and numbers.

• Injury or serious incident: ring 000 first, then the office. Give first aid if you are trained. Preserve the scene where it is safe (section 16).
• Breakdown: make the bus and passengers safe, then ring the office. Follow EPG 1. Keep passengers supervised and together.
• Animal strike: stop somewhere safe, check passengers, check the vehicle, take photos and ring the office. Do not approach an injured large animal.
• Floodwater: never drive into it. If you are caught, call for help immediately. If the vehicle stalls in rising water, get everyone out and to higher ground. Stay well away from fallen powerlines.
• Bush fire: follow EPG 4. Do not drive into smoke you cannot see through.
• Running late or service disrupted: ring the office so schools and parents can be told. In communities, messages go through the community office or the agreed contact person.

13. Working alone, staying in contact

Most of our driving is done alone and a long way from help. So:

• Make sure someone always knows where you are. Tell the office when you leave, and about any delay or change of plan.
• Carry a charged phone and use the UHF radio. On remote runs take the satellite phone. Know where coverage drops out on your route.
• Check in at the agreed times. On long remote trips the office checks in about every 2 hours. If we cannot reach you, we will come looking.
• If you are hurt or unwell and can call, call 000 (112 from a mobile with no coverage on your own network) and then the office.
• Some work is never done alone: wading or fording flooded creeks, working at heights, or in extreme heat without support.
• Tell us privately about any medical condition that could become dangerous while you are working alone, so we can plan for it.

14. Drugs, alcohol and smoking

• Zero blood alcohol while on duty. No drinking during working hours.
• No illegal drugs, ever, and none at work: not using, having, making or passing them on.
• Medication. Ask your doctor about side effects on driving. Tell the Operations Manager before you drive if you take any prescription or over the counter medicine that could affect you. If you take a medication that could impair you, we need a medical certificate saying it will not affect your ability to drive safely.
• If you think another worker is affected by drugs or alcohol at work, tell your supervisor.
• We may test before employment, at random, after an incident, or if we think someone is impaired. You must take the test when asked. A positive result means stand down and possible dismissal.
• No smoking or vaping in any Plum Oak vehicle or facility, with or without passengers, except in marked smoking areas. Follow the smoking rules at schools, communities and other sites.

15. Fatigue

Fatigue affects your alertness, reaction time, mood and safety. Follow the Fatigue Management Policy and the Code of Practice on fatigue management for commercial vehicle drivers.

• Take frequent breaks, get plenty of sleep, stay hydrated, eat regular healthy meals, get fresh air and exercise.
• Warning signs: head nodding or drowsiness, trouble keeping your eyes open, constant yawning, poor concentration, slow reactions, irritability.
• If you notice any of these, pull over somewhere safe and rest, then ring the office.
• Tell us about any other job you have, so your total hours stay safe.

16. Hazards, incidents and the scene

Hazards and near misses

If you see a hazard you cannot fix yourself (a pothole, a broken step, a dangerous bus stop), control it as best you can, warn anyone else who might come across it, and report it to the office using the incident form on the Driver Portal. Near misses are reported too. They are the cheapest lessons we get.

Incidents and accidents

• Report every incident, accident, injury, near miss, animal strike, breakdown, defect, complaint and unsafe situation to the office as soon as possible.
• Fill in the incident report before the end of your shift. On school runs the PTA incident procedure applies, and some reports also go through the School Bus Services website. The office will help.
• Incidents are classed as minor, moderate or major and investigated to match. Minor ones are reviewed within about a week. Investigations are about stopping it happening again, not about blame. You may be asked to help.

At the scene

1. Make it safe. Control hazards. Check people, give first aid and reassurance.
2. Call emergency services if needed.
3. Keep passengers together, supervised and away from the danger.
4. Leave the scene untouched as far as safely possible and follow directions from police, fire or ambulance.
5. Take photos from several angles, with something of known size in shot. Sketch the scene.
6. Get names and phone numbers of witnesses.
7. Note the conditions: time, light, weather, road surface, visibility.

Defects

An unserviceable vehicle must not be driven. Report defects on the pre-start or incident form, and tag the vehicle out of service if it is safety critical.

17. Personal protective equipment

• Wear the PPE issued to you for the task (for example gloves when cleaning or refuelling, hi-vis at a roadside breakdown, sturdy footwear).
• Look after it, check it before use, and do not use damaged gear. Ask the Site Manager for a replacement.
• You will be shown what PPE you need and how to use it, and asked to sign for it.

18. Your wellbeing

Most shifts are routine. But you may come across a serious crash, or be involved in one, and that can stay with you. Stress after something like that is normal.

• Talk to the Operations Manager or Lockie. It stays confidential.
• We can put you in touch with free, confidential counselling.
• Look out for your workmates too. If someone seems not themselves, check in.
• Do not come to work sick. If a doctor tells you to stay away, stay away until you are cleared.

19. Misconduct, fraud and confidentiality

• Do not handle cash for ODBS bookings. All ODBS work is invoiced through Plum Oak.
• Do not use a Plum Oak vehicle privately without written approval.
• Do not photograph or record passengers, especially students, without consent. Never post about passengers on social media.
• Treat all passenger information, including students’ details and health information, as strictly confidential.
• Misconduct can lead to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

20. After the shift

• Do the child check (school runs) and the post-trip section of the pre-start check.
• Report any damage or defects.
• Hand in lost property so it can be logged in the Lost Property Register.
• Remove rubbish and sweep the floor when needed.
• Refuel, and park in the vehicle’s designated bay.
• Hand in paperwork: attendance records, incident and hazard reports, receipts.

21. What you can expect from us

• A safe, roadworthy vehicle, with a working child check alarm on every school bus.
• Realistic rosters within the Fatigue Management Policy.
• No detriment for raising a safety, fatigue or wellbeing concern.
• A proper induction, vehicle familiarisation, and at least one refresher a year.
• Pay and conditions in line with your contract, and help with injury management and return to work if you are hurt.
• Respect for cultural commitments and family responsibilities.

22. Acknowledgement

I have read this Driver Handbook, including the Driver’s Instructions and the child check procedure. I understand my responsibilities and I will work within the Plum Oak Safety Management System and the law.

You sign this acknowledgement online, in step 2 of the Driver Portal.

Plum Oak Pty Ltd trading as Fitzroy Crossing Buses · ABN 91 468 462 378 · ODBS Authorisation 1001091. Issued under the Transport (Road Passenger Services) Act 2018 (WA). Incorporates the PTA Driver’s Instructions, the School Bus Services Child Safety Systems notice, SWI 02 Vehicle Operation and Driving, SWI 03 Working Alone or in Isolation, and the Plum Oak Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy.