Conditions and Applications

Conditions of funding assistance

The subsidy will be provided on the condition that the funds are used for the express purpose of fitting seatbelts in school buses as identified in this document.

The funding and application process

Applications for round nine of Seatbelts for Kids closed on 30 January 2012.

The funding assistance available under the program will be allocated following the assessment of applications from eligible bus operators. Successful applicants will be asked to sign a funding agreement, under which the Department of Infrastructure and Transport will agree to subsidise the cost of some or all of the work to a specified limit, to specified standards and within specified timeframes. After finalisation of the funding agreement, prior to payment of the subsidy the operator will be required to submit documentation to indicate that the work has been performed and paid for within the conditions of the funding agreement. The documentation will include:

For newly manufactured buses:

• The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) (s) and a copy of registration documents of the bus(es);
• A statement from the bus manufacturer identifying the difference in price to the customer between the bus(es) ordered as school bus(es) without seatbelts and the bus(es) ordered to be fitted with integrated seats and lap/sash seatbelts that meet Australian Design Rule 68 - Occupant Protection in Buses.

For existing buses:

• The VIN(s) and a copy of registration documents of the bus(es), showing evidence of acceptance of the work for registration purposes by the relevant state or territory government transport authority;
• An invoice showing the completed cost of the retro-fit work.

Documentation required with applications

As part of their application the operator must give a brief overview of their operations and must provide the following details:

• The name, ABN and bus operation licence/accreditation of the operator who is applying;
• Evidence of an existing contract between the operator and a state/territory to provide school bus services on a route defined as regional or rural;
• Details of any routes serviced by the operator that have been assessed under the voluntary National Guidelines for Risk Assessment of School Bus Routes [DOC: 57 KB] or, where they have not been so assessed, details of routes serviced by the operator containing roads with speed limits greater than 80 km/h;
• Details of any other aspects of the serviced routes that could be relevant to the assessment of the operator's application (e.g. narrow and steep terrain);
• The VIN(s), the Identification Plate Approval number(s) (for the purposes of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989) and a copy of registration documents, where available, of the nominated bus(es);
• Evidence that the buses nominated under the subsidy program have been approved by a state/territory as suitable to provide the services specified by the school bus contract noted above;
• The nature of the work to be undertaken and the costs involved, including any quotations to undertake the work;
• The amount of assistance requested (up to $25,000 per eligible bus);
• Details of any existing funding provided by state/territory programs for any of the buses nominated.

Applications which do not include this information are unable to be accepted.

Further information

Contact Number: The Seatbelts for Kids subsidy program hotline is 1300 725 209

The email contact is: seatbeltsforkids@infrastructure.gov.au