High school students travelling by bus between Glenreagh and Coffs Harbour will now have the added protection of seat belts.
The Coffs Coast Advocate reported that Sawtell Coaches, which operates a fleet of school buses in the Coffs area has purchased a new bus fitted with seat-belts, GPS tracking, an electronic tacograph and surveillance cameras.
The manager of Sawtell Coaches, Darren Williams, said the company had made a commercial, possibly controversial, decision given the NSW Government's Bus Safety Review had not yet been completed.
"We made the decision because we knew this service was on the government's lists of dangerous rural bus routes," Mr Williams said.
"We will be monitoring students' behaviour very closely and taking a hard line with any who do not comply with the instructions to wear the seat belts.
"Students who are moving around will be given three warnings and then be told 'to take a holiday from the bus'."
Valla parent Jan Gill, who has been campaigning for more safety on school buses, said the new bus was a welcome initiative.
"We all hope this marks the beginning of a new trend with other bus companies, especially those that travel on the highway," Ms Gill said
Ms Gill's letter to the editor of The Coffs Advocate is below:
Belts on buses
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