North Ryder Bus Company

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Contact

www.NorthRyder.com.au

North Ryde NSW 2113

Mobile: 0413 182 999

Email: [email protected]

Terms and Conditions

Home/Terms and Conditions

Conditions of Hire

North Ryder runs minibuses and coaches across Sydney for families heading to the airport, sporting clubs, offices and schools. These conditions apply to every trip: what we commit to, what you agree to when you book, and what happens if plans change.

Last updated: 31 October 2026

Section 1

Bookings

Who these conditions bind. They apply to all charter, hire, transfer, tour, school, corporate and airport work by North Ryder (“we”, “us”). The person or organisation booking is the hirer (“you”), and by booking, paying or travelling you accept these conditions for your whole group. Your Australian Consumer Law rights are unaffected and prevail over anything inconsistent here.

Quotes and holds. Quotes are based on your enquiry details, last 14 days and may be revised if requirements change; a quote does not hold a vehicle. A tentative booking expires after three business days without a deposit.

Confirmation. A booking is confirmed once you accept the quote in writing and pay the deposit. Nothing said over the phone confirms it.

How we price. Fares run depot to depot and include GST, fuel, insurance, distance and an authorised driver. Hourly Sydney metro bookings carry at least two extra hours for travel to and from the job, more at busy times or with many stops. You pay for the vehicle, not per head, so a 12-seater costs the same for 2 or 12. Weekends and public holidays carry penalty rates, and vehicle type, route, depot travel, timing, hours, service type and any overnight or interstate needs all affect the price. We may decline any booking without giving reasons.

Amending a confirmed booking

Ask for changes in writing; they depend on availability. After the Booking Confirmation is issued, each change carries an administration fee on top of any fare difference.

Level Typical requests Fee
Minor Updating the contact person; moving a time by 30 minutes or less; changing passenger numbers without changing vehicle From $10
Moderate Changing the route; adding a stop; moving a time by more than 30 minutes; going up or down a vehicle size From $25 per change
Significant Replacing the itinerary; multiple changes to one booking; anything that needs re-quoting From $50 per booking
Complex Several bookings affected; a last-minute rebuild; a large amount of admin time Quoted to you before we start

Extra stops. Stops added after booking are charged from $10 for a minor deviation, from $25 for a stop in the same general area, and from $50 for a stop in another suburb or one that extends the route. Regional and interstate stops are priced separately.

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Section 2

Payments

  1. Deposit. Booking more than seven days out needs a non-refundable 20% deposit to lock in the vehicle and driver, unless agreed otherwise in writing.
  2. Balance. Due no later than seven days before the service, or in full at booking if you book inside seven days.
  3. Late payment. Unpaid bookings inside seven days may be cancelled without notice with fees applied; a cancellation for non-payment is a non-cancelled service charged at 100%.
  4. Bonds. We may require a bond for late-night work, large groups, higher-risk events or school and youth bookings, and you authorise us to charge your card or keep the bond for overtime, waiting, cancellation, damage, cleaning, fines, parking, tolls or other costs arising from the booking.
  5. Overdue accounts. Interest of 10% a year applies from the due date, plus our reasonable legal and agency collection costs, whatever the outcome.
Payment deadline

Pay in full at least 7 days before your trip. Booking with less than 7 days to go? Pay the whole amount when you book. Unpaid bookings inside 7 days can be cancelled with fees applied.

Card and payment fees

When you pay by card, Square’s Payment Processing Fee of 2.25% is added to the amount charged. It is not a credit card surcharge but Square’s administration fee for processing the card payment, and you will find it listed on the tax invoice.

Method Fee charged
Visa, Mastercard or American Express card, wherever issued Square’s Payment Processing Fee (2.25%)
EFTPOS or domestic bank transfer Nil (0%)
International wire transfer $30.00 AUD per transfer

To pay, you will need your Booking ID. For bank transfers, put the invoice number and Booking ID in the reference field so we can match the payment. A receipt is emailed once payment is received. We cannot take cash (our drivers never handle it) or cheques.

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Section 3

Charges and overtime

Early, late and holiday work

Out-of-standard-hours portions of a job carry a loading, set out in your quote.

Period Loading
Service begins before 6:00 am 1.5 times the base rate
Service continues after 10:00 pm 1.5 times the base rate
Service continues after midnight 2 times the base rate
Sundays Sunday penalty rate as quoted

Any job that begins between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am is an out-of-hours service, and a minimum out-of-hours charge applies no matter how short it is.

A surcharge of no less than 30% of the base rate applies on NSW public holidays: New Year’s Day, Australia Day, Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, the King’s Birthday, Bank Holiday, Labour Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Anzac Day is fixed on 25 April by the Public Holidays Act 2010 (NSW); if it falls on a Saturday or Sunday and the Government declares the next Monday a holiday, both days carry the surcharge. You are responsible for checking holiday dates.

Waiting

We wait 15 minutes past the booked departure time free of charge. After that we bill in 15-minute lots: $30.00 each for minibuses of 12 to 24 seats, and $50.00 each for coaches of 34 to 62 seats.

Overtime

The fare covers the booked duration plus 15 minutes’ grace. After that, overtime is billed in one-hour minimum blocks at the vehicle’s hourly rate, plus any out-of-hours loading, whatever the cause (late finishes, venues, passengers, added stops or breaks). Overruns caused purely by unforeseeable traffic are not charged, but Sydney peak-hour congestion is foreseeable. Late flights are covered in Section 12.

Timing

Confirmed times are estimates. We are not liable for delays from traffic, closures, accidents, weather, driver rest or compliance, or for missed flights, events or deadlines that result. Consider insurance, and plan on these buffers:

If you are travelling to Plan for
An international flight Arriving at the airport 3.5 hours before departure
A domestic flight Arriving at the airport 2.5 hours before departure
An event Arriving 30 minutes before it starts
Anywhere in peak hour (7 to 9:30 am, 4 to 7 pm) 30 to 90 minutes extra travel time
A long-distance destination Extra time, as coaches cannot exceed 100 km/h under NSW law

Costs passed on

Added when incurred: tolls at Class B rates; parking at Sydney Airport, Central Station, Sydney Olympic Park and other paid areas; park and venue entry; overtime; vehicle changes and extra passengers; cleaning from $88 inc. GST; amendment fees; driver accommodation and meals; and fines from an unlawful pickup you chose. Prices may be adjusted for material fuel or legal cost increases, or wrong booking details.

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Section 4

Cancellations and date changes

How to cancel. Cancel in writing, either through our contact page or by replying to your Booking Confirmation email. The cancellation is effective only after we confirm it in writing. A verbal cancellation, a message to the driver or a missed payment is not a cancellation.

Non-cancelled services. If a booking was not cancelled in writing, or you do not use the service once the vehicle has left our depot, the full booking value is payable.

How far ahead you cancel What you pay
No-show, or never cancelled 100% of the booking value
Less than 48 hours 100% of the booking value
3 days 80% of the booking value
4 days 70% of the booking value
5 days 50% of the booking value or the deposit, whichever is more
6 days 20% of the booking value or the deposit, whichever is more
More than 7 days 10% of the booking value
Cancellation fees in short

Fees are calculated on the whole invoice, including extras, and the closer you get to the trip the more you pay. Only a cancellation we have acknowledged in writing counts. We can waive or reduce fees in exceptional circumstances, at our discretion.

No refunds for misconduct. Nothing is refunded if we end a service for passenger behaviour, a breach of these conditions or the alcohol rule, or a risk created by your instructions.

If we have to cancel. After a breakdown or other cause outside our control we will try to supply a comparable vehicle; otherwise we refund the part not delivered, with no cover for consequential loss, missed events or third-party costs. Contracted daily services follow their contract, and school excursions use Section 19.

Changing the date

We do not issue credits or allow postponements or deferrals. A new date means cancelling the existing booking and creating a new one, with a fresh fleet check, new rate, new reference, invoice and roster, so a fee applies.

  1. Fee. $110.00 including GST for each rebooking.
  2. Price. The new booking is charged at the rate for the new date. Higher weekend, holiday, out-of-hours or peak-season rates are payable on top of the fee; a lower rate is credited against the new invoice.
  3. Notice. With at least four weeks’ written notice before the original date, the original cancellation fee does not apply and your deposit transfers to the new booking. With less notice, the request is assessed on availability, part of the cancellation fee may apply in addition to the rebooking fee, and the deposit is kept towards that fee.
  4. Not on the day. We cannot change a date on the day of the original service. A same-day request is a non-cancelled service charged at 100%.
  5. Each time. Every further change is another rebooking with another $110.00 fee, and we may refuse further changes where they are causing undue disruption.

Availability is checked when you ask and held only with a new deposit. If nothing is free you can cancel (fees from the original date), travel on the original date at no extra cost, or wait; while you wait the original scale keeps running and we need not tell you if a vehicle frees up. Waiting inside seven days is risky: 80% at three days out, 100% inside 48 hours.

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Section 5

Vehicle allocation

We match vehicles to your confirmed passenger count, not a model. Any suitable accredited vehicle with at least the same seats may be sent, depending on fleet availability and scheduling, and big groups may be split across vehicles. A specific vehicle, livery or feature needs our written agreement. Every booked and paid passenger is seated safely and legally under the Passenger Transport Act 2014 (NSW).

  1. The fare does not drop if fewer passengers travel.
  2. If more arrive, there may be no extra vehicle, nobody travels above legal capacity, and we are not liable for anyone left behind. Short-notice extra vehicles may cost more and are not guaranteed.
  3. Tell us about changes early, and if your group might grow, book for the larger number now.

Our own vehicles and drivers. North Ryder runs its own fleet and drivers and is not a broker. After a breakdown or sudden driver absence we may use a Transport for NSW accredited operator under our policies and these conditions; we will tell you promptly and remain responsible to you, and this is not a breach.

Signage. Nothing may be attached to a vehicle without written approval.

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Section 6

Pre-trip checklist

Work through this table once your confirmation arrives.

Check If not
You have a written Booking Confirmation and a tax invoice showing the correct date, price and GST Contact us
Your Booking ID, reference and invoice number are recorded somewhere handy Contact us
The invoice is with your accounts team and payment (or a purchase order) will be in place by the due date Act now
Pickup and drop-off addresses, times, route and passenger numbers are all correct Contact us
Each pickup has a legal, safe place for a bus to stop (not a clearway, no-stopping or bus zone, narrow lane or driveway) Contact us
We have written driver instructions: exact address, gate or access codes, boom gates, height and time limits, permits Email us via the contact page
In a busy area (CBD, event precinct, school zone, airport forecourt) the group has one assembly point Plan one
Any paid parking at the destination is arranged and we know about it Contact us
Road closures, event traffic and school zones on the day have been checked on Live Traffic NSW Check now
A named group contact with a mobile phone (not a landline) will be present for the whole trip Assign one
The contact will answer the driver’s calls promptly and will not call the driver until everyone is gathered and ready Brief them
Oversized luggage, sports gear, instruments, prams and mobility aids are declared Contact us
Accessibility needs and any infants or children under 7 have been discussed with us, and boosters are coming Contact us
The group contact quietly knows about medical conditions, EpiPens and medications Plan now
Everyone knows the onboard rules: belts on, stay seated, bottled water only, no alcohol, no smoking or vaping, bags out of the aisle Brief the group

On the day: group ready before departure, belts on, headcount each leg (teacher sign-off for schools), contact’s phone on, everyone back on time, and a final walk-through for lost property and rubbish.

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Section 7

Onboard safety

You are answerable for the behaviour of your passengers from the moment they board until they step off, and you must tell them these rules before travel. These rules are part of the contract of carriage.

Zero alcohol, zero tolerance

No alcohol, sealed or open, may come on board or be drunk on any North Ryder vehicle, at any time, on any service. We do not provide party buses for birthdays, bucks or hens parties. A breach allows the driver to end the service immediately. There is no refund, you remain liable for the full booking value and any cleaning, damage or recovery costs, and we may call police. This rule supports the Passenger Transport (General) Regulation 2017 (NSW), intoxication and open-container laws, driver concentration and our accreditation and insurance. It is not negotiable.

Food and drink

No food of any kind (takeaway included) and no hot drinks. Bottled water is always permitted. Eating and hot drinks on a moving vehicle risk choking, burns, allergen exposure and spills, and NSW law bans eating and drinking on a bus (penalty up to $550). A passenger with a medical need, such as diabetes, should tell us in advance and tell the driver at boarding.

What every passenger must do

  1. Wear a fitted seatbelt (Road Rules 2014 (NSW)) and stay seated while moving, away from the aisle and the driver.
  2. Keep bags under seats or overhead, and aisles, steps and exits clear.
  3. Not use the onboard toilet, if fitted, while moving; comfort stops follow driver rest.
  4. Follow lawful directions from the driver and our staff.
  5. Not smoke or vape (Smoke-free Environment Act 2000 (NSW)), and stay 4 metres from the vehicle if smoking outside.
  6. Keep noise down and balloons or novelty items away from the driver’s view.
  7. Leave exits, hammers, extinguishers and safety gear alone, and keep the body inside the vehicle.
  8. Behave respectfully, take rubbish off, and dress suitably (top, lower garment and shoes), or the driver may refuse boarding.

Not permitted on board: alcohol of any kind; smoking or vaping devices; glass containers; fuel containers or generators; spiked or cleated footwear; illegal or non-prescription drugs (over-the-counter medicine used lawfully is fine); hazardous goods; bulk food, produce or perishables. Balloons and decorations need our prior written approval.

Refusal and removal

The driver has full authority over the vehicle and safety, may vary the route to stay safe and legal, and may refuse, remove or end the service for anyone who is affected by alcohol or drugs, abusive or disruptive, smoking or vaping near the vehicle, consuming banned items, unwell with something catching (active vomiting, say, or an illness notifiable under the Public Health Act 2010 (NSW)), refuses a lawful instruction, has breached these conditions before, or is not dressed to standard. The fare is not refunded and getting home is their own expense.

Cleaning and damage

Carry sickness bags, especially for children and anyone prone to motion sickness; a bag used cleanly costs nothing. Contamination of the vehicle needs biohazard decontamination under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW):

Incident Charge including GST
General mess (food, liquid or soiling needing more than a normal clean) From $88
Vomit on the floor, aisle or other hard surface $350
Vomit on upholstery, seatbelts or across several surfaces $550
Faecal, blood or other serious biohazard contamination Minimum $550, assessed per incident

If the clean-up keeps the vehicle from its next job, we may also seek reasonable compensation for that lost use. Damage done by passengers is yours to cover, for instance broken fittings, graffiti, torn seats, cracked glass or a damaged luggage hold, priced in a written assessment and added to any cleaning charge; damage caused only by our own staff is not.

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Section 8

Luggage

Tell us at the time of booking exactly what luggage is coming, including quantities and any large or unusual items. We choose the vehicle and set the fare on that basis.

Topic Our rule
Normal allowance One large bag and one small bag for each passenger
Declare in advance Sports equipment (golf clubs, boards, skis, bikes), eskies, musical instruments and drum kits, audio and display equipment, filming gear, prams, wheelchairs and mobility aids, camping gear, tools, cartons and extra or oversized suitcases
Driver lift limit 20 kg for any single item
Written approval needed Motorised mobility scooters; dangerous goods
Lost property Kept for 60 days from the date found; freight to return it is paid by the owner

Weight limits. Vehicles must stay within legal mass and axle limits and can be fined or held at weigh stations. We will not knowingly drive overloaded.

Too much luggage on the day. Undeclared or extra luggage can cause delays, be left behind, or need a bigger vehicle, trailer or separate transfer at your cost, if available. Refused items are the owner’s responsibility.

Lifting and loading. Your group helps with anything over 20 kg. Drivers may refuse items that are unsafe, overweight, badly packed, hazardous, banned by transport law, likely to cause damage, or bulk perishables.

Your risk. Belongings travel at the owner’s risk. Except for our negligence, and subject to the Australian Consumer Law, we are not liable for loss or damage, or for delays and penalties from undeclared items. Unclaimed lost property is disposed of after 60 days.

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Section 9

Child restraints

  1. What counts as a bus. In NSW a bus is a motor vehicle with 13 or more seats, counting the driver’s seat.
  2. The exemption. Rule 266 of the Road Rules 2014 (NSW) makes drivers responsible for restraining passengers under 16, but buses are excluded. Rule 267 provides additional seatbelt exemptions. On an accredited bus with 13 or more seats, children are therefore not legally required to use a child restraint, booster or seatbelt.
  3. Smaller vehicles. A vehicle with 12 or fewer seats including the driver is regulated as point to point transport, the same as taxis and rideshare, and the full child restraint and seatbelt laws apply. The legal seat count, not the size of the vehicle, is what decides this.

Every seat in our fleet has a seatbelt, and wearing it while moving is a condition of travel for all passengers, children included. Buses have no ISOFIX or child restraint anchorages, so bring a portable booster for children aged about 1 to 7; the driver will help secure it as far as possible, and it can usually stay aboard for the trip home.

Child’s age Legal requirement (bus, 13+ seats) Our recommendation
Under 1 None; bus exemption applies Never carry in arms while moving; parent sits with the infant in a rear seat; contact us to discuss
1 to 7 None; bus exemption applies Bring a portable booster; take rear seats; use the belt; never share one
7 to 15 None; bus exemption applies Wear the fitted belt; one child per belt; rear seats preferred
16 and over Must wear a fitted belt (Rule 265) One person per seat and per belt

Rules with no exceptions: one person per seatbelt, so never wrap a belt around yourself and a child; never hold an infant while the vehicle is moving; seat children as far from the front as practical; and fold, wheel-lock and stow prams and strollers so they cannot shift. Prams cannot be used as restraints on charter vehicles.

Tell us at booking about infants or young children. The hirer and accompanying adults supervise children and their belts and restraints. This is a summary of NSW law, not legal advice.

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Section 10

Accessibility

We want every passenger to travel safely and with dignity, and we welcome passengers with disability in line with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) and the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 (Cth). Please be aware of how our fleet works:

No wheelchair-accessible vehicles

None of our coaches or minibuses has a wheelchair lift or ramp. Passengers climb the steps with assistance and sit in a standard seat. Folded wheelchairs, walkers and other mobility aids are carried in the luggage hold.

When booking, tell us how many passengers need help, each aid’s type, size and weight (note the 20 kg lifting limit in Section 8), whether each person is able to shift into an ordinary seat, and how much help boarding will take. A motorised scooter can only come with our written OK. Trained assistance animals ride free of fuss, though we like to hear about them beforehand.

Our website. We are working towards WCAG 2.1 Level AA. If our site or forms are hard to use, reach us through our contact page or call us on the number shown on our website and we will help manually, in another format where practicable, and reply inside five business days. The Australian Human Rights Commission is available if you remain unhappy.

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Section 11

Airport transfers

On Sydney Airport arrivals, your driver will be waiting at the meeting point named in your Booking Confirmation. Each airport arrival quote already allows:

  • 30 minutes for baggage at the domestic terminals, T2 and T3;
  • 60 minutes for customs and baggage at the international terminal, T1; and
  • 30 minutes for a flight delay.

Parking. Sydney Airport charges commercial vehicles by time and vehicle class. These fees are not in the fare and are charged to you at cost at the rate in force on the day; the airport resets its rates each 1 July.

Several flights. Your driver pulls in roughly 20 minutes after the final flight is due down; anyone landing earlier waits inside. Appoint one flight monitor, on the phone throughout, with authority to decide.

Departures. Allow 3.5 hours at the airport before an international flight and 2.5 hours before a domestic one, as set out in Section 3.

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Section 12

Flight delays

  1. Delayed flights. We monitor arrivals, and a documented delay to the incoming flight is not charged while it stays within the included allowances.
  2. Delays in the terminal. Hold-ups unrelated to the flight, such as customs or lost bags, are charged at waiting rates once the allowance is used.
  3. Your part. Track every flight, update us early, and brief passengers on pickup and delay procedures; we do not contact them individually.
  4. Long delays. If a delay will exceed the allowance by more than 60 minutes, choose to keep the driver at the overtime or waiting rate, release the vehicle and rebook or make other arrangements, or request a later pickup subject to availability and driver hours.
  5. Limits on holding. We may not be able to hold a vehicle needed for other work, and reaching a driver’s compulsory rest may end the service. We will warn you early; other transport is then your responsibility.
  6. Back-up plans. For large or urgent groups, keep another operator’s contacts, give one person authority to release the vehicle, and plan for sending part of a split group ahead.
  7. Optional extras. Ask about delay protection (flat fee for waiting up to an agreed cap) or priority dispatch (a vehicle within an agreed time). Short-notice extra vehicles are charged normally and not guaranteed.
  8. No knock-on liability. We provide the transfer you booked. We are not liable for consequential costs of flight delays, such as onward travel or accommodation.

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Section 13

Driver hours

Every North Ryder driver carries a current NSW Driver Authority and the heavy vehicle licence class required for the vehicle, and works under the regulated fatigue management requirements of the Heavy Vehicle National Law and the NSW driver fatigue regulation. A hirer cannot vary them.

Our company limits are tighter than the national minimum of a 15-minute break in every 5.5 hours:

Limit North Ryder policy
Driving without a break 3 hours maximum, followed by a 20-minute rest break
Total work per 24 hours 12 hours maximum
Stationary rest 7 continuous hours minimum between 10:00 pm and 8:00 am, or 24 continuous hours on extended operations
Total per 7 days 72 hours maximum

Inspections, cleaning, refuelling, helping passengers, luggage and paperwork all count as work. Breaks are continuous, duty-free and never skipped or delayed.

What we need from you. A realistic itinerary with every stop and wait disclosed, and no pressure for extensions or schedules that breach the limits. Under Chain of Responsibility, hirers, organisers and agents share legal responsibility and can be penalised for unsafe instructions.

What we may do. Amend itineraries or times, add a second or relief driver, or decline a booking that cannot be done legally. Legally required drivers, accommodation or changes are charged to you, advised in advance where possible. We are not liable for compliance delays such as rest breaks or roadside inspections. Safety always wins over the schedule.

School work. Drivers on school services hold a current Working With Children Check from the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian under the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012 (NSW).

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Section 14

Extended charters

These rules apply to any trip that goes beyond one operational day or includes an overnight stay, such as multi-day tours, interstate trips, school camps and corporate retreats.

Driver accommodation. Each driver needs a single room of at least 3-star standard with private bathroom, heating and cooling, television and secure access, somewhere quiet. A nearby motel is fine if transfers are built into the itinerary. Book it yourself and send us the details for approval, or we will book it and charge it at cost. Client-arranged accommodation needs safe off-street parking for the vehicle and any trailer with adequate clearance, or other parking may cost extra.

Meal allowance. A mandatory $70.00 per driver per day applies on all overnight and extended trips, listed separately, even if the group caters, so drivers can buy food that suits their dietary, religious or cultural needs and eat when their rest breaks fall.

Itinerary deadlines. We need the full itinerary seven days ahead of departure, locked in no later than two business days out. Build in every rest period the Heavy Vehicle National Law demands; anything that cannot be driven legally we will rework. Standby, waiting and repositioning, or extra drivers, may be charged.

Costs and compliance. Accommodation and meals are extra unless quoted. If arrangements fall short, we may arrange alternatives at your cost, pause the service, or stop where safety or compliance is compromised.

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Section 15

Unsealed roads

Our buses and coaches only use sealed, formed roads. That rules out gravel, dirt and sand roads, fire trails and access tracks, farm and rural roads, construction or temporary roads, and anything not sealed with bitumen or asphalt.

Loose surfaces reduce traction and stability, lengthen braking, risk bogging and damage glass, engines and suspension; insurers often limit cover on them, and remote sites rarely have turning room or safe set-down areas.

If a pickup, drop-off or destination can only be reached on an unsealed road, tell us in advance so a sealed meeting point can be agreed; you may need separate transport for the last section. A driver who arrives to find only unsealed access may drop off or collect at the nearest safe sealed point.

Site details. Supply accurate addresses, contacts and a full itinerary, make sure each stop has bus access, turning space and legal stopping, and warn us of height or weight limits, narrow streets or low trees. Fines from an illegal stop you nominated are yours. We may decline, amend or reroute any booking on safety grounds.

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Section 16

Commentary

Our drivers will not provide live tour commentary while driving, on any service. They will give you essential operational information only: safety briefings, timing updates and logistics.

Narrating splits a driver’s attention and slows reactions. Work health and safety law requires us to remove that risk, the Heavy Vehicle National Law requires safe driving, and under Chain of Responsibility a hirer who asks for commentary may share liability.

For commentary, book a professional tour guide. We strongly recommend, and may require, one for sightseeing, multi-stop and regional tours, educational excursions and VIP or corporate work. Alternatives, arranged with us before the service date, are pre-recorded audio commentary (several languages) or a group leader you appoint to handle it. Please do not ask drivers for ongoing commentary.

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Section 17

Dining

North Ryder does not recommend, choose, endorse or book restaurants, cafes or other dining venues. Dining arrangements belong entirely to you or your event organiser.

A restaurant’s kitchen, cleanliness, allergy procedures, prices and pace are its own business and none of ours, and we accept no referral money from any venue. A slow meal can also push a driver’s legal hours or affect other bookings.

You choose and book the venue, confirm time and numbers, tell it when the bus arrives, manage dietary requests and check bus access and parking. Our staff will not deal with venues, menus or payments for you (a driver can phone through an arrival time if asked). On request we can name well-known dining areas and advise on coach parking, on a non-reliance basis and without endorsing any venue. To the extent the law permits, we accept no liability for any dining experience.

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Section 18

Safety standards

North Ryder is accredited by Transport for NSW under the NSW Bus Operator Accreditation Scheme. Our vehicles are accredited, maintained to Transport for NSW requirements, regularly serviced and put through the periodic safety inspections required of accredited operators, with a driver check before every service. Every seat has a working seatbelt, coaches are limited to 100 km/h, drivers are authorised and licensed for their vehicle class, and any faulty vehicle is withdrawn and replaced where possible.

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Section 19

School excursions

This section covers excursions, sporting events, camps and other one-off charters for public and private schools. It sits alongside the rest of these conditions, and where the two conflict, this section takes precedence for the school booking.

Bookings and changes

Each school booking needs a Booking ID from our booking system to be confirmed, and we email a confirmation and tax invoice to the school. Fares follow the supplied itinerary and may be revised if times, places, numbers or requirements change. Request changes in writing at least 72 hours before the service, subject to availability; cost increases bring a revised quote, and later requests are at our absolute discretion.

Cancelling

Cancel in writing through our contact page or by replying to the confirmation email. It is effective once we acknowledge it. This scale replaces the general cancellation table:

Notice given Cancellation fee
More than 72 hours Nil
Within 72 hours 10% of total booking cost
Within 48 hours 20% of total booking cost
Within 24 hours 100% of total booking cost
No-show or same-day cancellation 100% of total booking cost

Approved refunds have a $100 administration fee (inc. GST) deducted, and whatever remains goes back to the card or account you paid with, within 10 business days of our written confirmation.

Overtime and payment

School overtime starts as soon as the booked time is passed: $55.00 per 20-minute block ($165.00 an hour) inc. GST, invoiced afterwards and payable by the school. Build in at least 15 minutes’ buffer and loading time at each stop.

Schools pay on the terms printed on their invoice (all figures are Australian dollars with GST included) using a credit card, a purchase order, electronic transfer or a NSW Government P-Card.

Conduct, supervision and responsibilities

  • No smoking, alcohol, illegal substances, food or hot drinks; bottled water only. Everyone stays seated and belted and follows the driver. The school briefs students and staff beforehand, and remains liable for costs if we end a trip over unsafe behaviour.
  • A teacher or authorised staff member must be present for boarding, the journey and getting off; the school keeps primary duty of care throughout.
  • Student numbers given at booking must be right, as extras on the day may be left behind. Medical, mobility and other needs must be flagged before travel, and every stop must allow a bus to pull in safely and lawfully.

Liability

Storms, road closures, crashes and breakdowns are outside our control, and we are not responsible for the disruption they cause. Any damage students or staff cause to the vehicle is billed to the school. As far as the law allows, the most we will pay is the charter fee for the trip in question, we exclude indirect and consequential loss, and personal items are carried at their owner’s risk.

Vomit, biohazards and cleaning

Vomit is a genuine health and safety hazard. Norovirus, the most frequent cause of gastro outbreaks in NSW schools, can infect with as few as 10 to 20 particles, while one episode releases over 30 million that spread through the air conditioning and survive on surfaces for up to 60 days. Under Safe Work Australia guidance and the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) it is potentially infectious material, so the vehicle is isolated, treated with a certified spill kit by cleaners in protective gear, has its air conditioning flushed and its seats cleaned or replaced, and can be off the road for a full day. These fees are not negotiable:

Situation Fee (inc. GST) Scope
Student uses a sickness bag; bag sealed, vehicle clean $0 No biohazard; vehicle stays in service
General mess: excess litter, food, dirt $88 Cleaning beyond the normal post-trip standard
Vomit on the vehicle floor $350 Spill kit, floor decontamination, air conditioning flush, protective equipment, waste disposal, downtime
Vomit on seat fabric or upholstery $550 All of the above plus deep cleaning or replacement of seat fabric, longer downtime

School cleaning fees are invoiced immediately after the service and payable within 14 days. Further costs may be added where specialist remediation is needed beyond this schedule.

Add sickness bags to the excursion kit

Carry at least one sickness bag per student for any trip of 30 minutes or longer, held by the teacher in charge with the first aid kit, medications and emergency contacts. Bags are inexpensive and available from pharmacies; used properly, they mean no biohazard and no fee.

Force majeure, law and acknowledgement

If a natural disaster, health emergency, government order, strike or major network outage prevents performance, neither the school nor North Ryder is liable. New South Wales law applies to this section, and by booking the school accepts it together with the rest of these conditions.

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Questions and next steps

If you have a question about these conditions or your booking, contact us through our contact page and our team will get back to you. Ready to go? Get a price or lock in your trip below.