From 20 December 2016, the Private Vehicle Conveyance (PVC) subsidy will be phased out and replaced with the new School Drive Subsidy. The changes are explained below.
What is the Private Vehicle Conveyance (PVC) subsidy?
- PVC is a subsidy available to parents or guardians who drive students to school or a public transport pick up point.
- PVC is only available to the nearest public transport pick up point or to school where no other transport options are available.
- Applications for 2016 and for term one 2017 are due by 20 December 2016.
- From 20 December 2016, the PVC subsidy will be phased out and replaced with the new School Drive Subsidy.
- The last date for any PVC subsidy applications is 20 December 2016.
What is the School Drive Subsidy?
- School Drive Subsidy is the new subsidy available to parents or guardians who drive students to school or a public transport pick up point.
- School Drive Subsidy is only available where there are no other public transport options.
- School Drive Subsidy applications open on 17 January 2017.
What is changing for schools?
- Schools will continue to provide attendance records twice a year for PVC and for the School Drive Subsidy.
- Payments will be made directly to the parents or guardians of students approved for the School Drive Subsidy.
- From 20 December, schools should no longer provide parents and guardians with the PVC forms. School Drive Subsidy forms will be available from 17 January 2017.
What is changing for parents and guardians?
- Applications for PVC close on the last day of term four, 20 December 2016. No applications will be accepted after this date.
- From 17 January 2017 customers will only be able to apply for the School Drive Subsidy.
- The new School Drive Subsidy will be paid ‘per trip’ (for the complete school trip). This ‘per trip’ payment is different from the current PVC subsidy, which is paid ‘per student’.
- A flat per kilometre rate will apply to the School Drive Subsidy and will be adjusted annually.
- PVC subsidy rates will not be adjusted annually. The PVC subsidy rates will remain fixed at 2017 levels.
- The requirement to do a special return trip to and from home each morning and afternoon will be removed for the School Drive Subsidy.
- The 300km per trip payment cap will be removed for the School Drive Subsidy.
- The limit of eight trips per year for distance education students to attend mini-schools during term time will be removed for the School Drive Subsidy.
- School Drive Subsidy payments can only be made directly to the parents and guardians who have applied.
- Parents and guardians can check the website for full details on changes, eligibility and distance requirements at transport.nsw.gov.au/schooldrive
For more information please see the attached Fact sheet along with a ‘Quick Guide for schools’ which can be used by staff to learn about the changes and answer questions that parent, guardians and students may have. Also attached is a pdf version of a brochure that can be shared with students and their families. Transport for NSW will also send your school hard copies of these brochures in the coming weeks.
