Feedback, Compliments or Complaints
You can submit feedback, complaints or concerns by using one of the following methods:
- Via the online feedback form
- Phone 02 6495 6452
- In person at any 39 Redfern Close, South Pambula, NSW
- Write to: PO Box 256, Pambula, NSW, 2549
Submitting a complaint
Sapphire Coast Buslines is committed to providing excellent customer service but if you would like to submit a complaint we would like to assure you that we will act in an open and honest manner and within clear time frames.
Our priority is to respond and resolve complaints within 2 business days unless it involves more investigation. In these instances, you will be kept updated on the progress of your complaint.
What if I want to remain anonymous?
You can choose to remain anonymous when you submit a complaint. Anonymous complaints will be registered and referred to the relevant area for review. Although we won't be able to respond to your concerns, anonymous complaints can provide us with useful information that can lead to service improvements.
SCB School Smart Card
The SCB School Smart Card Pass is designed for students who:
- Live too close to the school to qualify for free travel.
- Participate in after-school activities such as sports or work.
- Routinely travel to a different location than their home address
To obtain a School Smart Card Pass, simply visit our website to purchase the card for $5.00
If your child already holds a valid SSTS Pass, this multi-use card will serve the same purpose, and no additional card is required.
Topping Up Your Card
There are several ways to add funds to your SCB Smart Card:
- Via the Transportme App: Link your card to your online account for convenient top-ups. Download App here
Transportme User Guide - You can top up the card through the bus driver directly on the Bus
- Reusable and Convenient: The card allows students to travel without carrying cash.
- Shareable: The card can be shared among family and friends if needed.
- No PIN Required: Easy tap-and-go functionality for quick boarding.
Yes, there is a one-time fee of $5.00 for the SCB Smart Card.
Yes, the card is compatible with our entire bus network but is not part of the Opal system
If the card is lost, please contact us immediately. A $5.00 fee will be charged for a replacement card.
Yes, you can top up the card through the bus driver,or via the Transportme App,
Download the Transportme App
For added convenience, download the Transportme app to manage your travel and easily top up your SCB Smart Card. Visit Transportme’s website or view the user guide to get started
Real-Time Bus Tracking
- Parents can track their child’s bus in real time with updates every 10 seconds.
- No more guessing whether the bus is on time or delayed.
Smartcard Notifications (Premium Feature)
- Receive alerts when a child taps on or off the bus using their Smartcard.
- Helps parents ensure their child has safely boarded or exited the bus.
Auto Top-Up for Smartcards
- Set automatic top-up amounts and levels to ensure Smartcards always have sufficient funds.
- No need to worry about running out of balance for bus fares.
Favorite Operator & Stop Alerts
- Set a bus operator as a favorite and receive updates on service interruptions.
- Mark a bus stop as a favorite and receive notifications if the bus is on time or delayed.
Secure & Convenient Payments
- Easily register and top up Smartcards through the app using Stripe Payment Processing.
- No need for cash or kiosks—parents can handle payments from their phone.
These features enhance safety, convenience, and peace of mind for parents managing their child’s bus travel.
Subsided School Transport Scheme
A. To be eligible for travel under the School Student Travel Scheme (SSTS) students must be:
- A resident of NSW
- 4 years 6 months of age or older
- An infant student (K, 1 or 2), irrespective of distance from school
- A primary student (year 3-6) straight line distance from their home address to school is more than 1.6 km or walking distance from home to school is 2.3 km or further.
- A secondary student (year 7-12) straight line distance from their home address to school is more than 2.0 km or walking distance from home to school is 2.9 km or further.
- Enrolled at a registered day or boarding school
If you are eligible for free travel you will be issued with an SSTS Smard Card. This card is transferable each year.
If your child does not automatically qualify for free travel and if you have grounds you can request TfNSW to review your application based on medical or safety reasons.
For a student not eligible and you would still like to use the bus you can consider:
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- Purchase a SCB Smart Card
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- Paying a bus fare each time you travel
You can purchase a SCB Smart card online or by calling our depot on 6495 6452.
Your Smard Card is transferrable each year. Please do not discard the card as it will be updated by us in the back end to match your updated travel requirements.
You will need to do a new application if:
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- Applying for a school travel pass for the first time in NSW
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- Enrolling in Kindergarten
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- Requesting an additional pass as a result of a new shared parental responsibility situation (e.g. joint custody).
For Dual Custody you will be issued with one pass that will allow free travel on both approved routes for free. Again, if your details change and are approved by TfNSW we will know this and make necessary adjustments to your card in the back end, you do not need a new card. If you discard the card you will need to buy a new one.
Apply For New Home to School Bus Pass
You will need to do an update application if the student has a current school travel pass and:
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- Your home to school free travel period expired.
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- The student is progressing from Year 6 to Year 7 unless the school attending is K-12 (Sapphire Coast Anglican College or Lumen Christi)
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- The student's circumstances change, e.g. name, change of school, home address or school year outside of the usual progression.
- A separate SSTS application should be made by each parent (or by the student if aged 16 or over) for each address.
- Applications for subsidised travel for Friday afternoons and Monday mornings only (to cover weekend access visits) are not eligible under the Scheme.
- You do not in the first instance need to provide a court order or statutory declaration to Transport for NSW (TfNSW) for shared parental responsibility situations. However, TfNSW in its discretion reserves the right to request these or further evidence documents if required for the purposes of determining eligibility for subsidised travel from both parents' addresses.
- If you are in a shared parental responsibility situation where a School Pass has been approved and you change your address or your child changes school, you must submit an updated application.
Please look after your school SSTS Smart Card . If you lose or damage your card to the point of it being illegible, you will need to pay $15 for a replacement card.
For students that need to travel to locations OTHER than home or school, a fare is required for each trip. If your child needs to travel regularly to and from extra-curricular activities a SCB Smart Card could be the way to go.
To obtain a School Smart Card Pass, simply visit our website to purchase the card for a $5.00 from the website.
- before and after school care or child-minding premises
- before and after school activities
- school excursions
- sports events
- work experience
- Vocational Education and Training (VET) at a location away from where the student is enrolled
- multi-campus high schools, weekend schools, pre-schools or mini-schools (except for full-time geographically isolated distance education students).
To travel to other areas within the Bega Valley, you can top up your SSTS Smart Card via the Transportme App or pay a fare.
When filling in your SSTS Application Form online, please provide a contact number of someone that can be reach during the times your child is on the bus which could be yourself or another family member.
The field is optional when applying but if left blank we will be unable to contact you if your child loses something on the bus, is sick on the bus, misses their regular stop, gets on the wrong bus or there is no one there at the bus stop to meet your child.
Traveling On The Bus
Unless the item can be accommodated within the student's bag or separate equipment bag and can fit on students lap. It cannot take up a passenger seat or be stowed in the isle. Large school projects and large musical instruments must also fit on student's lap.
Please note that if these or other items are deemed by the driver as having potential to cause injury in the event the bus was involved in an accident or required to break heavily which may cause injury or discomfort to other passengers is also prohibited from being carried inside the bus.
This policy is for the safety of passengers, other road users and the driver.
Management understand that it may cause inconvenience to passengers, however safety is always our first concern. As such all drivers are asked to enforce this policy as it only creates confusion and angst if some drivers adhere to the policy and others disregard at certain times.
- Surfboards, Boogie Boards - No, items are too large.
- Golf/Cricket bags - Yes if contained in a narrow bag.
- Scooters - Yes if folded and in a bag.
- Fishing rods - Yes if folded and in a bag.
- Skate boards - Yes if it is in a bag.
- Bikes - No, item too large
There is no eating permitted on buses unless for medical reasons and only water is allowed to be drunk on buses.
Sapphire Coast Buslines prides itself on its driver training and employment practices. In line with Guidelines set out by Transport for NSW and the RTA, all our drivers have a
- Driver Authority
- Medium Rigid License or higher
- A current Working with Children Police Check.
- Our drivers are also offered customer service training, Certificate in Transport Distribution and training in working with customers who may have special needs.
Please remember that there is a strict Code of Conduct for all students travelling under the SSTS scheme must adhere to. Breaches of the Code will not be tolerated and will result in disciplinary action, including possible suspension from free travel. If you feel your child is having any trouble on the bus, please call us and we will ensure the driver is aware of the situation. Our drivers are trained to deal with various issues such as special needs children, shyness, bullying and swearing.
In some school bus situations, there will be a mixture of both primary and high school children. Often these buses with a mixture have better behaviour than buses with Primary or Secondary only students. In most cases, high school students will sit towards the back of the bus and primary towards the front nearest the driver.
If you think your child has left something on the bus, just give us a call. We have a comprehensive Lost Property System where we make every attempt to return the property to its rightful owner.
If your child does not turn up at the right stop, don't panic ring us here at the Pambula office on (02) 6495 6452. We will radio through to our drivers and locate your child and we will organise to have the bus meet you at another stop or if possible divert the bus at an appropriate point back to your stop.
The new transportme app is a great way to keep track of your child. It offers real time tracking where parents can track their child’s bus with updates every 10 seconds. No more guessing whether the bus is on time or delayed.