School Bus Service Terms & Conditions

Notes to Parents/Guardians:

Regulations for School Bus Service End User

1. The billing period consists of 10-months per school year and the payment is charged on a semester basis (2-installments per year). Any late payments mean that the bus user will be deferred to the waiting list until further notice (unless spaces are immediately available). Parents have the choice to pay on a semester basis or month-by-month. Parents who pay the 5-month charge will receive a 10% discount on the monthly price.   We accept a cancellation with an advance 14-days’ notice by the parent, but this is non-refundable for those who have paid the semester charge.
2. You may choose return travel or one-way travel. *Only full week return travel or one-way travel is permitted. Partial week usage will be charged for the full week.
3. Once an application has been confirmed, a detailed schedule with associated fees will be sent to parents via email. Bus Payment is to be paid in full and advance on/before the date set by our company. Any delay in payment may result in the suspension of the school bus service until fees are settled. If there is any change to your information during the semester please email the bus company directly.
4. Payment by cash, cheque and or bank transfer will be accepted. Cash and cheque can be mailed to the address below or deposited by hand at the HKA Main Reception. Payment details will be emailed to parents following application. If providing cheque please write down the School name, Students full name on the reverse of the cheque.
5. Please refer to our preliminary route plans and stops. Our company aims to provide the best possible pick up/drop off points to suit the needs of every parent/guardian. However, actual pick up/drop off points will be arranged depending on the actual circumstances and may differ from the preferred stop on your application. The applicants right to continue the service under this situation is expressly reserved.
6. No refund will be made if students/parents chose not to take the bus at any enrolled trip on any day or the day with Red/Black Rainstorm or Typhoon 3 (PK1/PK2 only) or 8 hoisted and no school for students according to school policy or HKSAR EDB Announcement on school closure.
7. In the event of force majeure closing of the school, or other adverse circumstances that the school could not reasonably be expected to predict or control, partial fees (not more than 50% of monthly fee and will be discussed case-by-case) will be refunded.
8. According to “Guidelines for Ensuring Safety of Pupils on Student Service Vehicles – For Parents/Guardians to Observe” (Education Department, Updated July 2018), Parents/Guardians should teach their children to behave well when travelling on the vehicles, e.g.
   • they must remain seated unless boarding or alighting;
   • they must not talk to the drivers or shout;
   • they must refrain from eating, drinking or playing;
   • they must not put their heads, hands or any part of bodies out of the windows of the vehicle;
   • they must not board or alight from the vehicle until the vehicle has come to a standstill; and
   • they must not play when an emergency exists.
9. The bus attendants are required to assist the students in boarding the buses, maintaining the regulation and ensuring safety. Students must follow the instruction of the bus driver and bus attendant. The bus attendant will report disciplinary matters to the school within 24-hours if any arise.
10. School Bus terms and conditions should be read in conjunction with the ‘School Bus’ section in the HKA Family Guidelines. Particular notes are as follows:
    • Advance notice should be given to the classroom teacher, before 7:45am if the student is known not to be riding the afternoon bus service. In cases where advance notice is not possible, e.g. sudden illness of a student, a phone call should be made to the PS/SS Office and the School Bus Provider. All possible actions should be taken to avoid the unnecessary waiting time for the bus.
    • For alternative drop-offs for play dates, Primary parents should follow the procedure as listed in the Bus Section of the Family Guidelines. Please note that all “Change of Home-return Arrangements” are dependent on seat availability and must be confirmed by the Bus Company prior to proceeding.
    • For alternative drop-off for playdates and non-bus riders the pick-up person must sign on a collection of students.
    • Parents/guardians must be at the pickup and drop-off point in time for bus arrival (at least 5 minutes before schedule time) to avoid delaying the bus. If students fail to show up on time, the bus will leave without further notice.
    • Our company will enforce the discipline rules set by the school. Should children violate any of these rules, the matter shall be referred to the school for further handling;
    • Students who misbehave consistently and as agreed by the school may be refused access to our bus service. In this situation our company will not refund the bus fare.
    • To ensure the safety of the children students of kindergarten and primary school are not allowed to return home on their own (i.e.: without an accompanying adult or older sibling) from stops except those with a written consent and school approval. Our company will not be held responsible for any consequences that arise due to risk of children returning home on their own.
    • Pick up person must produce a HKA Community Card on collection of students.
    • For return-home drop-offs, if the parent/guardian does not meet at the drop-off point, the bus will wait momentarily and will then try to call the parent. If the child cannot be collected within two minutes, the bus company will :
      • Direct the bus to continue the journey and drop the child off at the end of the bus run.
      • If unable to contact parents for an alternative arrangement the child will be taken back to the school.
11. All students should take care of their own belongings when using the school bus. The bus driver and attendant do not have liability for loss or damage of students belongings. The bus attendant will not be responsible for carrying any bag, luggage or suitcase for students.
12. The school office maintains a comprehensive bus list. In the event of a serious accident, the school will assist the bus company to inform parents as soon as possible. Parents’ contact information is carried on the bus. The bus company should be informed of any changes for parent contact details.
13. Synergy Travel Service Limited will ensure that all personal data submitted are handled in strict adherence to the relevant provisions of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (PD(P)O).
14. Synergy Travel Service Limited operates CCTV on their buses. All data recorded can only be viewed by authorized staff of Synergy Travel limited and may be provided to the police or related parties for investigation of criminal incidents only.
15. I have read and agree to comply with the “School Bus Service End User Terms and Conditions” and confirm that I shall be responsible for the breach or non-compliance committed by me or my children.