Maxine Chopard – Assistant to Deputy Principal

Information and update to Bus 697 and the new priority bus lines

Bus 697

Thank you to parents who adhered to my request to document through emails their concerns about the new scheduled times for the School Special 697. I spent Term 2 in discussion with the Regional Business Manager to try to address some of the concerns raised. His last email based on his analysis of schedules and records since the introduction of the new run times includes:

• The departures from the first bus stop is averaging 72 seconds late, no services left more than 60 seconds early. 
• The possibility of the starting time from South Head Cemetery to be moved to 7.12 am. This may only take effect late in Term 4.

According to his data the bus is scheduled to arrive at Emanuel at 7.49 am, one minute earlier than the previous schedule of 7.50 am. The new start time, approximately 12 minutes earlier seems to bring students to Emanuel earlier than 7.49 am. Hopefully, the Emanuel arrival time data (I am collecting this) can be submitted to suggest a later start time at the bus starting at South Head cemetery. Unfortunately, the traffic between Emanuel and Mt Sinai may continue to be problematic, and if data shows their arrival times are on schedule, then there may be very little movement for us. I will continue to be in discussion with him and keep you posted on developments.

Priority bus lines

We have set up the priority bus lines and most students are adjusting to the expectations. Unfortunately, there are  a few students who disregard the expectations and are ‘sneaking’ out the gate without queuing up, or are racing ahead of the queue and overtaking the students ahead of them. The expectations are:

• Students walk down the Waxman Drive in an orderly manner. No running is permitted.
• Five students leave the queue at a time, when the first batch is half way down the hill, the next 5 students are sent. Any student caught running ahead is sent back to the queue and repeated offences will result in escalated consequences.
• All students have their Opal Card ready to show the teacher on duty they are in the correct queue.

Students are aware there are rules governing the use of the Opal Card, behaviour on state buses and Emanuel expectations with regard to queuing for buses prior to boarding.

Students are also aware they may lose the privilege of having an Opal Card for breaching expectations and have been told that their parents will be contacted if they disregard Emanuel expectations.