Mernda mother Rebecca Roberts is on the hunt for a bus service she can afford as her second child gets ready to join her eldest daughter at secondary school.
And she’s changing her children’s school as well after getting a bill from Diamond Valley College, where her eldest spent this year, for $1200 for the chartered bus trips … per student.
“That means I’d be paying $2400 for them both,” the mother of five told the Weekly.
She said that what started as a $90-a-term bus fare doubled to $180 this year after the school changed to a charter bus for its Mernda and Doreen students.
“Now it’s $300 a term, each – that’s not a service,” Ms Roberts said.
To take public transport the 16 kilometres or so between home and school would mean her children would need to be at their Plenty Road bus stop at 6.30am.
When the Weekly spoke to Public Transport Victoria (PTV) about Ms Roberts’ predicament, the advice was: “The parent needs to seek advice from the school on the best transport option for her children.”
Ms Roberts has already done this and believes there are more and more barriers being put up to force students into schools within their area.
The Roberts chose the more distant Diamond Valley College because they have not long moved from Diamond Creek and are still active in the scout groups there.
“We’re going to have to send the kids to Whittlesea [Secondary College],” Ms Roberts said, adding that she had already contacted that school about its bus services. “Their bus is full – and there’s a waiting list,” she said.
PTV confirmed students are eligible for a range of fare discounts. A half-yearly student pass costs about $255, while a yearly student pass is $489.
“Students living in Mernda can catch bus route 562 to Whittlesea or Mill Park to access Whittlesea Secondary College or Mill Park Secondary College,” a spokeswoman said.
She said the final 2014 student pass fares and application forms would be available for parents from January 1.
» Information about travelling to school can also be found at education.vic.gov.au/travellingtoschool
