Community bus for hire

A large bus parked in an empty parking lot that community groups can hire

Local community groups can hire our bus for activities and sporting events.

The semi-automatic community bus will carry either:

  • one driver, eight passengers and one hoisted wheelchair
  • one driver and 11 passengers.

Accidents and emergencies

In the case of an accident or emergency associated with the community bus, you need to notify us straight away.

If an accident occurs, the driver must get the following details from any third party:

  • full name and address
  • driver's licence number and expiry date
  • mobile and business hours contact phone numbers
  • car registration number
  • insurer
  • relevant notes and details relating to the accident.

Priority hire groups

The community bus is available for community groups to hire.

We prioritise bookings from groups that are the most disadvantaged by a lack of adequate transport.

Bookings open to Group 1 community groups six months prior to use. If the community bus has not been booked by Group 1 community groups four weeks prior to use, then availability opens to Groups 2 and 3.

Group 1

  • Socially and economically disadvantaged groups.
  • Women's groups.
  • Youth groups (includes Scout groups).
  • Senior Citizens groups.
  • People with disability.

Group 2

  • School groups.
  • Nursing homes/retirement villages.
  • Sporting groups (for fixtured events only).
  • Church groups. 

Group 3

  • Community programs.

Times the bus can be booked

The community bus can be booked:

  • hourly from 9 am – 4:30 pm Monday to Friday (maximum four-hour block from pick up to return)
  • daily from 9 am – 4:30 pm Monday to Friday (minimum four-hour block from pick up to return)
  • weekends from 4 pm Friday until 9 am Monday.

Bookings cannot be made more than:

  • 180 days (six months) prior to use for users defined in Group 1
  • four weeks prior to use for users defined in Groups 2 and 3.

 

Bookings

Follow these steps to book the community bus.

Bookings

Step 1.Check your eligibility

To book the community bus you must:

  • be hiring on behalf of a community group (the bus is not available for private use) 
  • be aged over 25
  • hold a valid driver's license
  • not drive the bus further than a 100 km radius of the Council offices (unless you get prior approval)
  • agree to the rental rules and regulations

Download the rental rules and regulations(PDF, 210KB)

Step 2.Make a booking

You need to book the community bus at least two weeks in advance. You can book in these ways:

Book online via Bookable

Booking instructions are available to help you use the Bookable platform.

Phone: 03 9217 2170

Email: communityfacilities@whittlesea.vic.gov.au

In person: visit our Council offices at 25 Ferres Boulevard, South Morang.

We'll confirm your booking in writing via email.

Step 3.Complete the Community Bus Declaration form

The hirer must complete the Community Bus Declaration form and provide us with a copy before taking the bus.

Download the Community Bus Declaration form(PDF, 232KB)

Step 4.Collect the bus

Collect the community bus from our Council offices at 25 Ferres Boulevard, South Morang at the booking time.

You'll receive a copy of the Rental Rules and Regulations, along with the key and the log book.

You'll need to show us your driver's license along with a signed copy of the Community Bus Declaration form. You'll also need to demonstrate your safe bus driving before you can take the bus.

View map

Step 5.Clean the bus

You have to return the bus in a clean state. If you don't, you may be charged cleaning costs plus labour and administration. To avoid being charged, we suggest you wash, vacuum and empty rubbish before returning the bus.

Step 6.Fill the bus with fuel

The community bus is supplied with a full fuel tank and must be returned with a full tank. If the bus is not filled upon return, you will be invoiced for the cost of fuel, plus labour and administration.

Step 7.Return the bus

Please return the community bus to where you collected it from at our Council offices. You must:

  • return the clean bus by the end of your booking time with a full tank of fuel
  • park the bus in the car park behind our Council offices
  • remove all items from the bus
  • complete and sign the log book
  • return the key and log book to the Centre Operations officer.

Fees and charges

Fees

Fees are based on the hirer's group type.

There are three fee types:

  • hourly rate – maximum four hour block (from pick up to return)
  • daily rate – minimum four hour block (from pick up to return)
  • weekend rate – from 4:30 pm Friday to 9:00 am Monday.

If you need the vehicle later than 4:30 pm or overnight, there may be a combination of hourly and daily rates.

Invoices

Fees are invoiced to the hirer.

  • Regular hires are invoiced at the end of the month.
  • Casual hires are invoiced two weeks before the hire.

Tolls

You can drive on toll roads. The buses are fitted with e-tags. If you use a toll road, you may have to pay the charges.

Fines and infringements

The hirer is fully responsible to pay all parking and driving infringements incurred during the booking time.

Cancellations

Cancelling your booking

To cancel your community bus booking, please call us on 03 9217 2170 within 24 hours of your booking. In some cases, we may ask you to put your request for cancellation in writing to communityfacilities@whittlesea.vic.gov.au.

If you don't notify us within 24 hours, you'll have to pay a cancellation fee of $25 per day that the vehicle was booked.

 Community bus rear view

Other important information

Insurance

The community bus is covered by our insurance policy for damage resulting from an accident.

A $1,000 excess applies. This is payable by the driver.

Here are some other important things to note:

  • If there is unreported damage to the community bus, the hirer is responsible for meeting all costs of this damage.
  • If the community bus is damaged as a result of an accident and the cost of repair is less than the $1,000 excess, the hirer must pay the amount to us.
  • Incidents not covered by our insurance include damage to the interior, tyre repairs or replacement, damage where insufficient care is taken including ‘jack-knifing’ damage where a trailer is involved. The hirer must pay for full repairs or replacement for incidents involving these situations.
  • You must not have repairs made to the community bus.

Faults

Any mechanical or other faults must be reported to our Community Hubs Unit when you return the community bus.

Drugs and alcohol

It is the responsibility of every person driving the community bus, as defined under section 3 of the Bus Safety Act 2020 to ensure they:

  • have no drugs or alcohol present in their blood or breath immediately before, or while driving a vehicle/bus
  • alcohol must not be consumed on the community bus
  • drivers must retain a zero (0) blood alcohol concentration level
  • drivers can not be impaired by drugs or medication.

Driver agreement

To hire the bus, you'll need to agree and acknowledge that:

  • only you will drive the vehicle
  • you hold a current licence (not being a learner’s licence or provisional licence) to drive the vehicle
  • you will carry your licence with you at all times when driving the community bus
  • you are over the age of 25 years (VicRoads advises that a 12 seater bus is the largest size bus that can be driven by an ‘over 25’ without an endorsed rigid licence)

You must:

  • fill in the vehicle’s log book at the commencement and the completion of each journey. The log book will be provided to the hirer at the start of each booking
  • not carry, or allow the vehicle to carry, more passengers than may be properly accommodated by the seat belt restraints provided in the vehicle:
    • no more than eleven (11) passengers plus driver OR nine (9) passengers, plus wheelchair, plus driver, are to be carried at any one time.
  • not use, or allow the vehicle to be used, for any illegal purpose, race, contest or performance test of any kind
  • not hire or lend the community bus to another group or person
  • not be under the influence of alcohol, drugs or have a blood alcohol content that exceeds 0.00

The following is strictly prohibited in the vehicle:

  • consuming alcohol
  • smoking or vaping
  • eating or drinking.

Learn more in the rental rules and regulations(PDF, 210KB)

Approved drive locations

You must only use the vehicle:

  • on a road that is properly formed and constructed as a sealed, metalled or gravel road
  • within 100 kilometres radius of the City of Whittlesea Council offices at 25 Ferres Boulevard, South Morang. You can request an extension of this distance by sending an email to info@whittlesea.vic.gov.au. Specific needs and requests of the group will be taken into consideration.

The vehicle cannot at any time be taken:

  • in the snowfield or alpine regions
  • on beaches or through streams, dams, rivers or flood waters.

Maintenance, safety and security

You must:

  • keep the vehicle locked and the keys under your personal control at all times
  • comply with all applicable seat belt and child restraint laws and ensure that all passengers are seated at all times while the bus is in motion
  • ensure that all internal and external lights have been switched off.

Property left in vehicle

The City of Whittlesea will not be held responsible for any personal belongings left in the bus.

Hoist

It is compulsory that the driver of the vehicle featuring the disability hoist be trained and instructed on the operations of the hoist and wheelchair restraints.

Disputes

In the event of any dispute arising as the interpretation of these rules and regulation, the decision of the City of Whittlesea’s Manager of Active and Creative Communities will be final.

In the case of an accident or emergency associated with the community bus, you need to notify us straight away:

Contact Us

Phone

03 9217 2170

Email

communityfacilities@whittlesea.vic.gov.au

Location

Council Offices
25 Ferres Boulevard
South Morang
3752
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