COMMUNITY BUS SERVICE ACCESS GUIDELINES
Melton City Council operates a community bus service to assist eligible residents of the municipality to participate in activities and programs they would not otherwise have access to.
The three, 12 seater (11 passengers and 1 driver) community buses are managed by the City of Melton Community Care and Inclusion Service Unit. These buses are utilised by community groups along with a number of community based Council operated programs and services.
1. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR COMMUNITY BUS USER GROUPS
The community bus service is available for use by groups who are registered with Melton City Council as an ‘approved bus user’. To become an approved bus user, community groups must meet the following criteria:
· Operate on a voluntary basis and be of a non commercial nature
· Community Groups to be based within the municipality
· User group membership consists predominantly of residents of the City of Melton
· User groups must have current public liability insurance
· Attend activities of a recreational, welfare based or educational nature
Ineligible requests for community bus use includes:
· Commercial businesses
· Activities that involve mid or end of year club celebrations and functions.
The General Manager, Community Services of the City of Melton has the authority to approve requests for access to the community buses and coaster bus at discretion.
2. REGISTRATION AS AN APPROVED BUS USER
Community groups must become registered as a community bus user prior to accessing a bus. The registration process includes providing evidence that the community group meets the eligibility criteria as outlined above.
2.1. New Applicants for Registration as an Approved Bus User:
New groups seeking registration as an approved community bus user are required to:
· Request a Community Bus Application/Renewal –Status as a Registered User Form and Community Bus Service Access Guidelines from the Council’s Community Care and Inclusion Service Unit and Customer Service offices
· Complete and submit the Community Bus User Application/Renewal –Status as a Registered User Form
· Read and submit a signed copy of the Community Bus Service Access Guidelines
Community Care and Inclusion staff will provide the successful applicant with written confirmation of the group’s acceptance as a registered bus user.
Unsuccessful applicants will be formally notified in writing.
2.2. Existing Community Bus Users:
Existing community bus user groups will receive a Community Bus User Application/Renewal Form by mail/email no later than 1st December each year for re-application for the following 12-month period.
2.3. Submitting Community Bus User Application/Renewal Forms:
When submitting your completed Community Bus User Application/Renewal Form, refer to the following:
By mail – Post your application form to:
Kathy Farrell
Community Transport Supervisor
Melton City Council
Community Care and Inclusion
P.O. Box 21
Melton 3337
In person – Application forms should be submitted to Melton City Council Customer Service offices, located at:
Melton Civic Centre Offices Caroline Springs Library & Civic Centre
232 High St 193-199 Caroline Springs Blvd
Melton 3337 Caroline Springs 3023
3. BOOKING POLICY FOR REGISTERED USER GROUPS
· The community buses are available to registered community bus user groups for the purpose of undertaking activities of a recreational, welfare, support or educational nature.
· Buses can be booked up to 3 months in advance for example; June a booking can be made up until September of that year. An exception will be considered for one off annual events.
· Registered community bus user groups are required to pay a fee per bus for each booking as outlined in point 4. COMMUNITY BUS USER GROUP FEE SCHEDULE. No bookings will be taken in advance of the 3-month period.
· Registered community bus user groups can book up to two buses per booking depending on availability. The standard fees apply to both buses.
· Weekend overnight use of up to two consecutive nights, is permissible, with a return time of no later than 11.00pm. The booking must be made in writing addressed to the Community Transport Supervisor, at least four weeks in advance. Applications in writing must detail all relevant travel, where buses will be kept overnight, safety and storage information.
· The buses are available for use by registered community bus user groups as listed below. Requests for use outside of these hours must be made in writing at least 2 weeks prior to the requested date of use.
- Weekdays from 9.00am to 11.00pm
- Weekends from 8.00am to 11.00pm on the same day
- Weekend overnight use with return no later than 11pm Sunday
- Buses will not be available on December 31st
· Buses may not be driven into the snow regions of Victoria during the snow season, off road or outside of the state of Victoria.
· All fuel consumed by the user group during the booking period must be replaced prior to returning buses to the bus compound. A copy of the fuel docket representing the fuel replaced for that particular booking, must be submitted when returning the bus keys. Failure to do so will result in the user group being charged for the fuel consumed as indicated in 4. COMMUNITY BUS USER GROUP FEE SCHEDULE.
· Buses may only be used for the purposes indicated in registered user group’s application. Users are not permitted to access buses for personal use, to sub-let or profit from a fee.
· Buses are not equipped to seat infants or children who are required to be restrained in an approved child restraint. Seat belts must be worn at all times.
· Applicants must acquaint themselves with, and abide by all conditions detailed in this document.
4. COMMUNITY BUS USER GROUP FEE SCHEDULE 2015-2016
ITEM / FEE / PAYABLE BYStandard Fees
Registered User Group fee per bus per booking / Up to 5hrs - $26.65 Daily use - $53.30
Overnight (per night) $127.90 / On approval of application
Bond per booking / $170.55 / On approval of application
Non-compliance Charges
Bus returned not cleaned / $70.00 / 30 days from user groups receipt of invoice from Melton City Council
Bus returned with fuel not replaced / Replacement fuel and $40.50 administration fee / 30 days from user groups receipt of invoice from Melton City Council
Late cancellation (less than 48hrs notice) / Payment of the full scheduled booking fee for that booking / 30 days from user groups receipt of invoice from Melton City Council
Non pre-payment for access to CityLink / As indicated on traffic infringement notice / 30 days from user groups receipt of invoice from Melton City Council
“At fault” accident insurance excess / $500.00 / 30 days from user groups receipt of invoice from Melton City Council
Internal and external damage to the bus / All associated repair costs not covered by insurance / 30 days from user groups receipt of invoice from Melton City Council
Fee Schedule will be updated in line with Councils Annual Budget Process.
In the instance of internal and/or external damage to a community bus, Melton City Council will obtain 3 quotes and allocate the works to the successful repairer.
5. GRIEVANCE PROCESS
The grievance process for misuse or incidents of non-compliance to the guidelines by a registered user group will involve the following steps:
Step 1 – Consultation & Discussion
Step 2 – Official caution
Step 3 – Suspended registration for a 3-month period
Step 4 - Deregistration as a registered user for a 12-month period
In the instance of misuse of a serious nature, the grievance process may be condensed and could lead directly to step 3 or step 4 being implemented. Each case will be considered on its own particular merits and the principles of procedural fairness will be followed.
Step 1 Consultation & Discussion
A meeting between the user group representatives and Community Care and Inclusion representatives will be conducted. The aim of the meeting will be to bring the misuse or non-compliance issue to the user group’s attention and allow them to rectify the problem. The discussion may result in determining agreed actions to be undertaken within specific timelines.
Step 2 Official Caution
A meeting between the two parties will be arranged and clarification regarding the misuse or non-compliance will be sought. If the issue is still considered unsatisfactory the Community Care and Inclusion representative will advise the user group that a written caution will be issued.
Step 3 Suspended Registration for a 3 Month Period
A meeting between the two parties will be arranged and clarification regarding the misuse or non-compliance will be sought. If the issue is still considered unsatisfactory the Community Care and Inclusion representative will advise the user group that their group will be suspended for a 3-month period and that this will be outlined in writing including the dates the suspended period is valid.
Step 4 Deregistration as a Registered User for a 12-Month Period
A meeting between the two parties will be arranged and clarification regarding the misuse or non-compliance will be sought. If the issue is still considered unsatisfactory the Community Care and Inclusion representative will advise the user group that their group will be deregistered for a 12-month period and that this will be outlined in writing including the dates the deregistration is valid. Deregistered User Groups are entitled to reapply for registration at the end of that period.
6. PROCEDURE FOR BOOKINGS BY REGISTERED USER GROUPS
6.1. Making a Community Bus Booking
All bookings are to be lodged with the Customer Service Officer at the Melton Civic Centre, 232 High St, Melton in person or by contacting Customer Service on 9747 7200.
Registered Users are required to nominate bookings officers who will be responsible for making/authorising their groups bus bookings.
When making a booking the Customer Service Officer will require a contact person’s name, phone number and name of the organisation making the booking. This along with details of the officer who made the booking is recorded. This is important, should Customer Service need to make contact in the event a bus becomes unavailable.
On making your community bus booking, Customer Service must be notified of your intention to utilise a Melton City Council E-Tag. An additional payment of $5.00 is required to be paid at the time of collecting the bus keys along with the collection of the E-Tag. Failure to make this payment and install the E-Tag on the front windscreen of the bus will result in the user group receiving a traffic infringement notice.
Responsibility for the correctness of bookings will fall with the group making the booking. It is therefore recommended that you request a hardcopy of your booking to be forwarded to you.
Each request for use by a registered user group must be detailed on a single Application for Bus Use – Transport and Driver Details form.
6.2. Cancellation of Community Bus Booking
Registered user groups should note:
· Bookings may be cancelled by the Melton City Council in circumstances where a bus must be taken off the road due to breakdown, accident, damage or servicing of buses and where Council’s regular transport commitments cannot be reorganised.
· Please be aware that a high demand for bus bookings exists and this demand is escalated on weekends therefore bus access may not be met for every request.
· Registered users are required to provide Customer Service with 48 hours notice when cancelling a bus booking. Late cancellations will result in the registered user group being responsible for the payment of the scheduled booking fee attached to that booking. Repeated incidents of booking cancellations will result in the grievance process being activated.
6.3. Responsibilities of Person Collecting and Returning Bus Keys
Keys must be collected during Council’s business hours of 8.30am and 5.00pm on the day of the booking, or the Friday prior if the booking is for weekend use. Please note there will be no issuing of keys outside these hours.
When collecting the keys the ‘key collector’ must provide the Customer Service Officer with:
· A completed and signed ‘Application for Bus Use – Transport and Driver Details’ Form which has been completed by the user group representative and the nominated driver
· Drivers licence which will be photocopied by the Customer Service Officer
The ‘key collector’ must also collect from the Customer Service Officer
· A Community Bus Drivers Checklist, which is to be completed prior to departing and on return of the buses
· E-Tag if applicable
The keys are to be returned to the Customer Service Officer at the Melton Civic Centre during office hours or, in the case of after hours/weekend use, dropped into the letterbox provided at the front of Melton City Council Community Care & Inclusion Offices 5 McKenzie St, Melton.
The keys must be accompanied by:
· A completed Community Bus Drivers Checklist
· Copy of the fuel docket representing the fuel replaced by the user group
· E-Tag if applicable
7. BUS COLLECTION AND RETURN
Community buses are housed and collected from the vehicle compound (beside the Community Care & Inclusion building, 5 McKenzie St, Melton). Under no circumstances should buses be left or collected from outside of the vehicle compound, without prior arrangements being made with the Community Transport Supervisor.
For security and insurance purposes, buses must be returned to the bus compound at the end of each booking period (excluding approved overnight bookings). Buses must not be garaged overnight at any other location.
When collecting a bus, the designated bus driver may leave their vehicle in the allocated bus-parking bay provided in the bus compound. Any private vehicles left in the bus compound or near the premises is done so at the owner’s risk.
The compound must be locked when collecting and returning buses and the buses must be securely locked after use.
An inspection should be made around and throughout the bus after return to ensure no property is left behind. All defects or damage must be reported and noted on the Community Bus Drivers Checklist so subsequent users can be assured of roadworthiness and appropriate maintenance. Community Bus Drivers Checklist must be returned with the bus keys at the end of each booking.