Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills, is obliged to provide services in line with the terms of the scheme in an impartial, uniform and equitable fashion nationally.
The purpose of the Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote i.e. 3.2 km or more from their nearest primary school or 4.8 km or more from their nearest post primary education centre, having regard to ethos and language. Each school year, services, routes, pick-up points, vehicle size etc. are designed around the eligible children presenting for school transport.
The Company strives to accommodate as many children as possible, always within the guidelines of the schemes, and to provide a good standard of service that is consistent nationally. To assist families with queries on aspects of the scheme, a series of frequently asked questions is available on the Bus Éireann and my Department's websites.
In advance of any given school year, a diverse rang e of specific queries are raised by Deputies and parents, including this year. There is no discretion in the application of these guidelines nationally which can sometimes be taken as presenting a negative attitude to requests received. I have asked Bus Éireann to review the experience this year with a view to putting any appropriate further measures in place to assist with improving communication with families availing of the service.
In relation to the current procurement arrangements for the operation of the school bus services raised in the submission made to Oireachtas members by the Federation of Transport Operators Bus Éireann has advised as follows:
The Bus Eireann tender processes for school transport services are conducted in a transparent manner which is in accordance with applicable law, including public procurement requirements, and facilitates equality of treatment. School transport contractors who are selected for re-tendering are notified that the contracts are being tendered in line with Government policy where expenditure of public funds is concerned. They are subsequently provided with the full suite of tender documents clearly outlining the process, the procedure, and the selection and award criteria for contract award. The tendering process facilitates openness, transparency and allows freedom of access for all interested parties.
All of the contractors procured are required to satisfy the statutory obligations that pertain to each licensed transport operator in the State. This includes an obligation to keep and provide evidence that all statutory vehicle, driver and company certificates and licences are kept current and in order. Nominated drivers are obliged to satisfy medical examination, must be licensed to drive the size of vehicle used, and are subject to vetting procedures arranged by Bus Éireann and conducted by the Garda Central Vetting Unit.
Contractors who are successful in the competition for existing work that is opened to tender are awarded a five-year contract which provides security for the duration of the contract to the contractor, provided of course that obligations continue to be satisfied, as well as stability in terms of familiarity with transport arrangements for the families, schools, and children concerned.
It is a matter for each tenderer to decide what price they wish to quote for the work concerned taking into consideration their operating costs over the course of the contract period, and in common with every citizen of the State a tenderer is entitled to seek redress through the Courts in the event that they wish to appeal a procurement decision. The procurement of school transport services through competitive tendering procedures is aimed at maximising value for money for the exchequer in the delivery of school transport services. Some 90% of current school transport routes have been procured through competitive tendering. In the four consecutive years between 2010 and 2013, the cost to the Department for the element of the School Transport Schemes administered by Bus Éireann was reduced/maintained each year, while over the same period more than 1,000 new school transport services and some 2,600 service enhancements were approved by the Department and introduced by Bus Éireann.
The value of savings achieved and other cost efficiency measures served to offset the otherwise significant additional cost that would have been incurred to meet this level of new demand.
The cost of the element of the School Transport Schemes administered by Bus Éireann to the Department in 2014 remained less than it was in 2010, as the following table indicates, and this will continue to be the case in 2015.
Customer research was undertaken earlier this year by Ipsos MRBI on behalf of the Company in connection with how their new online school transport portal and service had improved over 2014/15 and to identify further scope for improvements. The helpful attitude of Bus Éireann staff was noted in this research. Four focus groups were established in different parts of Ireland from a cross section of school transport scheme customers. The findings of this research were positive, indicating that the new system allows more parental control of the process, provides reassurance that information has been sent/received, and provides a more convenient method to apply, to obtain an eligibility assessment, and to pay/submit medical card details.
Details of the scheme are available at www.buseireann.ie and at www.education.ie.
Cost of the School Transport Scheme 2010-2014 - PQ
|
Year
|
Total net chargeable by BE to DES
|
Parental Charges Collected
|
Total combined net amount chargeable including parental charges
|
|
-
|
€000m
|
€000m
|
€000m
|
|
2010
|
154,026
|
11,651
|
165,677
|
|
2011
|
151,804
|
11,486
|
163,290
|
|
2012
|
149,477
|
12,570
|
162,047
|
|
2013
|
149,825
|
12,772
|
162,597
|
|
2014
|
150,467
|
13,057
|
163,524
|
