School Information
CDC NSW helps thousands of students to travel safely to school and from every day. We operate a range of regular route and dedicated school bus services. School students must travel with a valid school travel pass.
School students must tap on and tap off using their Opal card every time they travel on a bus to and from school. This allows Transport for NSW to better understand customer travel patterns and helps CDC NSW provide a reliable and comfortable school service for everyone.
Apply for a School Opal Pass
The School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) gives eligible school students free or subsidised travel between home and school on NSW public transport, including buses. Eligible cards are automatically updated for the new school year, so you’ll only need to apply if you’re:
- applying for a school travel pass for the first time
- changing name, school and/or address, or
- requesting an additional pass as a result of a new shared parental responsibility situation.
Applications for a school Opal card open during Term 4 for the following year. New applicants need to apply online at School Opal card and student travel | transportnsw.info.
For further information and customer service, please contact TfNSW: 1800 227 774.
Eligibility for a School Opal Pass
To be eligible for a free school travel pass students need to live a minimum distance from school. The minimum distance varies according to the year/grade you are enrolled in, in that calendar year:
- Years K to 2 (Infants): no minimum distance
- Years 3 to 6 (Primary): 1.6 kilometres straight line distance or 2.3 kilometres walking or further
- Years 7 to 12 (Secondary): 2 kilometres straight line distance or 2.9 kilometres walking or further.
If the student doesn’t qualify for free school travel, you may be able to buy a School Term Bus Pass for discounted travel on buses between home and school. For further information and customer service please contact Transport for NSW on 131 500 or use the links below:
- Using your School Opal card | transportnsw.info
- Plan your trip to school | transportnsw.info
- Lost, stolen or damaged School Opal cards and travel passes | transportnsw.info
School Safety Program
CDC NSW provides a school education program to teach students how to travel safely and show respect for others on public transport. Understanding the importance of behaviour on buses can help to ensure a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable experience for commuters, students, and our drivers. Our school program is supported through regular engagement with over 400 schools across Sydney, the Hunter Valley and the Blue Mountains.
If you are interested in engaging students in bus safety at your school, download our Program Planner which provides a list of activities your school might like to try in 2022 that cover:
- Bus safety and behaviour
- Active travel
- Sustainable transport
- Important dates
For Teachers
NSW Centre for Road Safety provides educational resources and professional development to teachers and childhood educators throughout NSW for students aged from Kindergarten to Year 6.
Safety Town has activities you can do with primary school children to help them keep safe on and around buses. The Our Agent Walker Safety Video was produced for school students in years 5 and 6 and their teachers, parents and carers.
For Parents
Families are responsible for getting their children to and from the bus stop safely. It is important to supervise younger students and hold their hands when walking to and from the bus stop or interchange and when crossing the road.
Bus safety for school students is a downloadable brochure that contains information on how families can help keep children safe when boarding or hopping off buses.
Safety Town has a section for families on driving safely around buses and getting children to and from the bus stop safely.
