Buses – Owned, Hired or Chartered by a School

Maintenance management system

The purpose of the maintenance management system (MMS) is to ensure that the bus is serviced and maintained in a safe and roadworthy condition.

The components of an MMS (from Safe Transport Victoria) are:

• maintenance
• bus safety and inspections:
  • pre-trip inspections
  • vehicle safety inspections
  • annual bus safety inspections
• defect reporting and clearance.

This guidance chapter outlines how schools are to address the components of an MMS. Templates are provided to support schools to meet these requirements. For more detailed guidance, refer to Safe Transport Victoria.

MMS policy and procedure

Schools must prepare an MMS policy and procedure. A department template (DOCX) is provided to assist schools in meeting this requirement. The MMS policy and procedure outlines the processes for completing each type of inspection and the service and maintenance intervals of the buses. Schools must also retain documentation regarding how, when and what was serviced, maintained or rectified. These components of the MMS policy and procedure are outlined below.

If a school frequently hires a bus and provides its own driver for excursions, camps or to provide a regular bus service for students, the school must still develop and maintain an MMS. The MMS would indicate where the responsibility for a particular activity lies with the hiring company.

Maintenance requirements

Schools must maintain a maintenance service schedule that is suitable for the age, make and model of all the buses in their fleet.

Schools are encouraged to use the manufacturer’s service schedule if it is available. Schools may use the department’s Maintenance register (DOCX) if the manufacturers schedule is not available.

Bus safety and inspections

Schools must ensure that each bus undergoes a vehicle safety inspection (VSI) by a suitably qualified mechanic at appropriate intervals or travel distances. The frequency of the VSI will need to be determined by the school in consultation with a mechanic, utilising the manufacturing specifications.

Schools must also undertake an annual bus safety inspection (BSI) on each bus. A BSI must be undertaken by a licensed bus tester. You can find a licensed bus tester in your area by contacting VicRoads or look-up a licensed bus tester via their website: Licensed bus testers (click ‘Show Me Licensed Vehicle Testers for:’ and select ‘Bus’).

For more information on VSIs and BSIs, visit the Safe Transport Victoria website: Vehicle Safety Inspections and annual Bus Safety Inspections.

Pre-trip inspections

Schools must ensure that an inspection of the bus is completed prior to the first passenger carrying trip on each operating day and maintain a record of the inspection, including the date, bus details and result of the inspection. Schools may use the department’s Pre-trip inspection checklist and record (DOCX) for this purpose. This checklist may be modified to suit school circumstance.

If any defects are identified, schools must not use the bus. Refer to the ‘defect reporting’ section for further information.

Defect reporting

Schools must maintain a defect and clearance report for owned and hired buses which records the defect and the steps taken to address it. Schools may use the department’s Defect and clearance report template (DOCX) to assist in meeting this requirement.

Schools must ensure a bus is not used until defects are repaired.