Buses for school tours
A school tour has two measures of success: every pupil comes home, and the day keeps to the times the parents were given. Both depend on checks made before the bus is booked.
What the law asks of the bus
A bus transporting children must have a seat belt or restraint for every child carried. The exception is general public bus services, and a private hire is not one. Anyone aged 3 or over must wear a belt where one is fitted, and passengers must be told about the requirement. Brief the class before leaving the school gate, and have a teacher walk the aisle to check buckles after every stop.
What the rules require
- Buses transporting children must have seat belts or restraints for every child carried (general public bus services excepted)
- Carrying 9 or more passengers for hire or reward requires a Road Passenger Transport Operator Licence
Licence and vetting checks
Carrying 9 or more passengers for hire or reward requires a Road Passenger Transport Operator Licence. Driving a public service vehicle used only to carry children is relevant work, and relevant work needs Garda vetting. Ask the operator to confirm both on the quote, so the confirmation sits in the trip file for the principal and the board of management.
Book the sites as well as the bus
Several popular school tour sites run on booked slots. Brú na Bóinne is reached only by shuttle bus from the visitor centre, and groups of 15 to 30 must pre-book a group time slot. At the Cliffs of Moher, coach arrivals and every group of 10 or more book in advance. Muckross House in Killarney asks all groups to reserve. In Waterford, the Viking Triangle museums advise groups to book, and coaches set down on The Mall outside the Bishop's Palace.
Work the timetable back from those slots. A headcount at each stop takes longer with thirty children than with thirty adults, and a missed shuttle slot is hard to recover. Make lunch a proper stop off the bus.
Questions
Do primary pupils have to wear seat belts on the bus?
Yes, if they are 3 or older and belts are fitted. The bus itself has to have a belt or restraint for each child on board.
Does the driver need Garda vetting for a school tour?
Driving a public service vehicle used only to carry children counts as relevant work, which needs vetting. The operator should confirm it before the trip.
What size of bus suits a class of 28 with three teachers?
That is 31 people, which fits many midi coaches, typically seating 29 to 35. Check the exact seat count on the quote, as everyone needs a belted seat.
Can the bus drive right up to Newgrange?
No. Visits to Brú na Bóinne start at the visitor centre, where the bus parks, and the site shuttle takes the group on to the monuments.
Cities
Vehicles
- Full-size coach — 49-81 seats
- Midi coach — 29-35 seats
- Minibus — 16-19 seats
- Executive van (Mercedes V-Class and similar) — 6-7 seats
- Executive car (E-Class saloon class) — 1-3 seats
- Wheelchair-accessible minibus — 10-16 plus wheelchair spaces
Price up a school tour
Send the date, class and staff numbers, and the stops. A licensed partner operator quotes the bus with a driver, and the school decides.
Request a quote or call 35312659152