Transport Policy of Dainfern College

Description of Vehicles

The school has three vehicles - a Mercedes Sprinter, Iveco and Toyota Avanza - for transporting learners and staff members in the pursuit of their school business. There are also two trailers for extra luggage. It is not expected that these vehicles will meet all transport requirements, so in certain circumstances staff will be asked to carry learners in their own vehicles, or parents have to be asked whether they can assist with transporting learners, or buses will have to be hired,

Licences

All drivers of school vehicles must be legally licensed and must obey the laws of the country. If parents agree to assist with transporting learners, they must have a comprehensive insurance policy (or at least third party fire and theft) for their “transporting” vehicles. If a parent is rewarded in the form of a direct payment for transporting children (in the form of a claimable refund for fuel costs), then the parent must be in possession of a Professional Driver’s Permit (PDP).  Indirect compensation is not deemed to be a reward.

Duties of Staff

Driving a school vehicle or carrying learners in school vehicles or in their own vehicles constitutes part of the normal set of duties of a teacher. For staff members carrying any learners, the required Drivers’ Licence is a PDP licence. When using the Toyota Avanza or their own vehicle, staff would be permitted to take other staff members (not students) without a PDP licence.

Insurance

Insurance of Vehicles:

School vehicles are covered in the school’s insurance when they are being driven by people in the employ of the school, or delegated by the school to drive them, provided these people are in possession of valid and appropriate Drivers’ Licences.

Insurance of Individuals:

The school is not responsible for any damage caused by school staff driving their own vehicles with school learners as passengers. The driver’s own insurance must cover damage to his/her own vehicle.  However, liability for other party’s damages will be covered by the school’s contingent liability insurance (outlined below).

Contingent Liability:

The indemnity provided by the insurance shall include claims made against the College in connection with any private vehicle, or a vehicle provided by the school, while being used by any delegated person, or employee of the school, as long as such a person has not been refused any motor insurance.

‘Delegation’ in the above paragraphs occurs when a member of staff in charge of learners asks parents to assist with the transport of learners to and/or from school events, and parents agree to do so. In this situation, once parents have agreed to a request from a staff member, they become ‘delegated persons’ and so would be covered for contingent liability should any accident take place.

Use of School Buses

Booking of Buses:

School buses must be booked using the school’s booking system. Any complications should be dealt with by Kerry Williams. Buses should not be taken from the bus parking unless they have been booked.  Staff are expected to observe the start and end time of bookings made, especially when there are other bookings closely adjacent to the booking made.

Booking of the School’s Drivers:

Frank Babuseng and Richard Khumalo are currently the school drivers. They have their own schedule of duties which have priority over any request for them to drive for a staff member. They can be booked for driving if they are available, and any final decision rests with the Principals. If the school drivers have been booked for an outing, a member of staff must accompany the vehicle to ensure discipline and safe, good behaviour.

Procedures for taking buses out and for returning buses:

• All vehicles should be collected from the bus parking, with keys obtained from the reception.
• All vehicles are to leave the campus via the main entrance and be signed out by security.
• All vehicles are to be returned to the bus parking after use and securely locked (all windows and doors).
• Teachers transporting learners are, on return, to ensure that the bus is litter-free and inspect the bus for any signs of vandalism, i.e. cut seats, removal of seat belt buckles etc.

Control and Safety Belts

• Staff members are to ensure that learners are well behaved at all times while in any bus being driven on school business.
• All passengers must have seat belts fastened at all times while in transit.
• While travelling, all the passengers are to remain seated.

Code 10 Vehicles

The Mercedes Sprinter and Iveco may only be driven by people with a Code 10 licence.

Maintenance and Repairs

The school vehicles are to be serviced twice annually or every 10 000km. This is the responsibility of the Operations Manager. All vehicles are to be inspected daily by the school driver and a report of any faults or concerns is to be submitted to the Operations Manager immediately.

Safety Checks

Prior to any medium-to-long distance travel, a safety check will be carried out by the Operations Manager. School buses should be given an independent safety check twice a year.  These are the responsibility of the Operations Manager.

Use of External Buses

Long trips (i.e. in excess of 200km) and requiring a bus carrying in excess of 23 people should be outsourced to an accredited transport company and the cost passed on to the learners.

Booking of External Transport

Booking of external buses should be made by the teacher requiring the transport. There is a specific sequence of events which must be followed to ensure that the booking is properly authorised and payment allocated against the right budget. An important aspect of the booking procedure is confirmation with the Operations Manager that the company to be used is safety compliant.

Payment of External Transport

Staff members booking buses are required to authorise the costs of this transport against the correct budget, or else produce a list of learners who used the transport, to whom the charge can be passed on.

Golf Carts

Some of our High School Students use Golf Carts to come to school. The following rules apply to their use:

• Minimum age for driving a Golf Cart is 16.
• Access & Egress: When entering the campus Golf Carts may only use the following entrances: Western side via the pedestrian gate next to the Dainfern Estate entrance; on the Eastern side via the Dainfern Valley entrance by Country Readiness School.
• On entering the campus Golf Carts must be parked in the designated parking area (by the Dainfern Estate entrance), and may not be driven around the campus.