“That ICPA Qld lobbies the Department of Transport and Main Roads and Translink to collaborate with ICPA Qld in assisting to gain vital data, state-wide, to ascertain the discrepancy and eligibility of families regarding the conveyance allowance.”
Nebo Branch highlights that this is an issue that has been on the agenda for decades. It is disappointing to see that the same issue still exists with no change in policy from Translink on such a recurring problem, despite ongoing efforts to continually raise awareness from ICPA Qld State Councillors. ICPA Qld State Council has attempted to gain case studies directly from member families to support the advocacy. We understand the issue has reached a standstill with Translink indicating they will not consider any change without data substantiating the difference in lengths travelled by families from their home garage to the property boundary, which for years this organisation has lobbied that families are not being properly compensated for, or are unfairly ineligible due to technicalities.
We are seeking that Translink be made aware that this volunteer organisation simply does not have the technical capabilities, funding, or support to collate the supporting data they are requesting in order to consider the matter further. Information requested such as GPS co-ordinates, google maps and images of driveways, property boundaries, and bus pickup locations, is outside of the technical and connectivity capabilities of some members, as well as them being overwhelmed having to undertake and provide this information themselves when being previously requested to do so. We feel it is time that Translink join the efforts in obtaining this data, and further suggest they already have this information in place with their GIS and PLI data systems (see extract below). It is time that Translink take initiative to identifying families being undercompensated, look at restructuring their allowance system, and identifying those who have not been covered at all, in the hope that a more equitable system and method of calculation can be formulated, and finally, being paid for the actual kilometres travelled from home garage to bus pickup location.
Additional Information supporting: In viewing the Queensland School Transport Assistance Scheme Policy current as at July 2022, an extract from page 5 reads:-
Distance Measurements
A Geographic Information System (GIS) is used to measure distance.
The distance between the student’s residence and nearest state school or non-state school of type, or the nearest bus service, is measured by the shortest trafficable route over roads for public use, and averaged. For example, distance from school to the residence and return, divided by two.
The following Queensland Government datasets are used:
Department of Transport and Main Roads approved digital road network
Department of Resources Property Address Queensland database, commonly referred to as the Property Location Index (PLI)
Department of Education defined school location points.
The datasets for PLI and school location points are available on the Queensland Government Open Data Portal at data.qld.gov
