Warning lights and signs on school buses outside a defined urban area

School buses outside a defined urban area

School buses operating outside (or partly outside) a defined urban area must comply with specific requirements for warning lights and signs to ensure the safety of school students and other road users.

A school bus is defined as a bus used to provide a school service outside, or partly outside, a defined urban area. A school service refers to a scheduled passenger service primarily for transporting school students to and from school (other than for school excursions) on days that schools are open for instruction.

A defined urban area includes:

• The area of the City of Brisbane under the City of Brisbane Act 2010.
• Areas requiring a service contract under section 42 of the Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Act 1994 (PT Act) for road-based general route services, excluding areas declared for school services only or services only for the carriage of eligible school students.

Notices declaring and amending service contract areas and routes under the PT Act can be found on the Service contract areas and routes webpage.

Warning signs requirements

Number and location

• Two warning signs must be fitted: one at the front and one at the rear of the bus.
• Signs may be installed inside or outside the bus but must be visible from outside.

Content, size, and materials

• Front signs must either:
  • Display "SCHOOL BUS" in capital letters at least 100mm high
  • Display the required image.
• Rear signs must display an image of two children in the same proportions as AS 1743 ‘Road Signs—Specifications’, image W6-3, with the taller child at least 230mm high.
• Signs must be rectangular and at least:
  • 400mm long and 250mm high
  • 550mm long and 400mm high if warning lights are included on the sign.
• Signs must have a black border and black graphics and be coated with retro-reflective yellow material (Class 1 or 2).

Warning lights requirements

Number and location

• Two pairs of warning lights must be fitted: one pair at the front and one pair at the rear of the bus.
• Lights must be positioned:
  • On each side of, and equidistant from, the centre of the warning sign.
  • No more than 100mm from the edge of the warning sign.
  • At least 300mm apart at their nearest points.
  • So that no part of the bus obstructs the light within:
    • 30 degrees to the left and right of the centre of each light.
    • 10 degrees above and below the centre of each light.
• Lights may be mounted on the warning sign if the sign’s words or image are not obscured.

Specifications

• Warning lights must emit a flashing yellow light with an effective lens area of at least 60cm² and meet luminous intensity standards.
• Lights at the same end of the bus must flash alternately between 90 and 180 times per minute.

Operation

• Unless the driver has turned the warning lights off, lights must activate automatically when a door opens and remain on for at least 10 seconds and no more than 20 seconds after all doors close.
• Drivers must have:
  • A switch to manually turn the lights off from the normal driving position.
  • An audible or visible signal to indicate when the lights are flashing.

Driver responsibilities

Manual operation for older buses

If the bus is not fitted with automatic warning lights:

• Drivers must manually activate the lights at least 5 seconds before stopping to pick up or drop off children.
• Lights must remain on while the bus is stopped and for at least 5 seconds after moving off.

Prohibited use

• Warning lights must not be activated at any other time unless the driver has a reasonable excuse, such as testing the lights.

Optional warning signs and lights

Non-school buses providing public passenger services may be fitted with optional warning signs and lights to alert motorists of school students. These optional fittings must comply with the same standards outlined in this policy.

Exemptions

To ensure the safety of school students, an exemption from using the required warning lights and signs may be granted in certain temporary situations.

Buses with this exemption are called conditionally agreed relief buses. To apply, operators must contact their local Passenger and school transport office and meet the conditions outlined:

• For a light vehicle up to 4,500kg the vehicle must comply with the Safe Movement Guideline - Fitment of Warning Signs and Lights for Buses Carrying Children.
• For a heavy vehicle over 4,500kg the vehicle must comply with the Queensland Heavy Vehicle Standards (Warning Lights and Signs on School Buses Exemption) Notice and Operator’s Guide.

References

Transport Operations (Road Use Management—Road Rules) Regulation 2009

• Section 222: Warning signs and lights for school buses, including compliance with the Transport Operations (Road Use Management—Vehicle Standards and Safety) Regulation 2021.
• Section 222A: Compliance with road rules specific to school bus operations, including the use of warning lights when picking up or setting down children.

Read the full PT Regulation on the Queensland Legislation website.

Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Act 1994

• Section 42: Declaration that service contracts are required

Read the full PT Act on the Queensland Legislation website.

Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Regulation 2018

• Schedule 9: Includes the definition of a school bus.

City of Brisbane Act 2010

Read the full Act on the Queensland Legislation website.

Resources

Declared service contract areas and routes

• Notices declaring and amending service contract areas and routes under the PT Act can be found on the Service contract areas and routes webpage.

Queensland Heavy Vehicle Standards

• Queensland Heavy Vehicle Standards (Warning Lights and Signs on School Buses Exemption) Notice and Operator’s Guide.

Queensland Light Vehicle Standards

• Safe Movement Guideline - Fitment of Warning Signs and Lights for Buses Carrying Children.