Schools are responsible for making transport arrangements for educational or other activities that require transport, and EA buses can be hired for these outings, subject to availability.
Advice for transport for educational outings
The Health & Safety of pupils is of paramount importance. Whilst the Education Authority fully appreciates that hiring a Coach, Bus or Taxi is entirely a matter for each school, the following guidance is intended to give assistance to teachers and support staff when making a booking and moreover to ensure that a ‘duty of care’ is exercised in this regard. The following guidance is based on best practice and should be read in conjunction with: Best-practice guidance note on safely using and buying freight, taxi and coach services.
Before hiring a Coach, Bus or Taxi it is essential that you satisfy yourself that the Coach/Bus/Taxi operator and their vehicles comply with a number of fundamental legal requirements. The following checklist sets out a brief summary of those key requirements which are applicable where the vehicle is operating for hire and reward. If you intend to use the services of third party companies to act on your behalf you should satisfy yourself that they have a robust system in place to conduct these important checks on your behalf.
| Requirement | Requirement Detail | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Road Service License / Taxi Operators License | To operate a Coach, Bus or Taxi for hire and reward an operator must possess a valid Road Service Operator License and / or Taxi Operator License. A legitimate operator should be able to provide you with a copy on request. | √ |
Insurance | Operators must hold appropriate business insurance and possess valid insurance certificates for all their vehicles. Legitimate operators should be able to provide you with copies on request. | √ |
| Competency | Try to assure yourself of the operator’s competency, a good operator should be able to provide you with references from other customers. | √ |
PSV, Motor Tax & Maintenance | Operators will use a wide range of vehicles. On the day of the trip check to see that a valid Taxi Plate (if applicable) is displayed on the windshield of the vehicle. A legitimate operator will always provide vehicles that are clean inside and outside and in roadworthy condition i.e. good tyres, no body damage etc. |
√ |
| Drivers | Confirm with the operator that the driver holds a valid license for the vehicle concerned. | √ |
| Child Protection | Satisfy yourself that the driver meets the appropriate security and child protection standards. | √ |
| Availability of seatbelts | Seatbelts are a legal requirement on ALL VEHICLES used on organised school trips. | √ |
Should you be in any doubt about the legitimacy of an operator, a full list of licensed bus service operators can be found on NI Direct.
You can contact DVA Passenger Transport Licensing Division for further advice and guidance, either by telephone (028) 9025 4100 or email TaxiandBusLicensing@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk
The safety of pupils is paramount and the consequences of using an unlicensed operator could be very serious for the school and for individuals responsible for organising educational trips.
Alternatively, schools may also wish to consider the option of using EA vehicles for such trips. Please ensure that this guidance is drawn to the attention of all relevant staff.
EA Vehicle Hire
Please contact your local transport office to enquire about availability and cost of EA bus hire.
If you wish to make an application to hire an EA vehicle please complete the form below and return to your local transport office.
Requirements for Employees Driving School Minibuses
In accordance with the legal requirements for employees driving minibuses, the Education Authority (EA) has collated the below advice.