“That ICPA (WA) lobby the Department of Transport – On-Demand Transport service and the State Government for a review into the eligibility criteria of the Student Travel Subsidy Scheme - Road Travel Subsidy.”
Families who have previously received the Student Travel Subsidy Scheme - Road Travel allowance are continuing to be rejected due to the introduction of TransWA services; as they now reside less than 56kms from the nearest transport hub, with a regular passenger transport service.
The timetabling of these services is not suitable for the transporting of rural students to and from their nearest appropriate educational boarding facility as the days these services run is mid-week and would result in the student missing up to 20 days of schooling per year.
This reduction of attendance at an educational institution is proven to have detrimental outcomes on a student’s academic performance.
The eroding of allowances is an added increase to the cost of educating rural students and shows a lack of support for rural families.
