The approved bus and coach operators list is intended to guide Devon schools when making bus and coach bookings so that schools are aware of which contractors will supply drivers and vehicles to an acceptable standard – and have confidence in the bus and coach hire arrangements that they make and the contractors that they use.
View the current list of approved bus and coach operators.
In particular, the contractors on the list have undertaken, for all school work, to use only:
- drivers who have been DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checked via Devon County Council and who must carry at all times and produce upon request, a current valid DCC identification badge
- vehicles fitted with seatbelts on all seats as required by law for all school coach trips
These conditions mirror those applying to DCC home-to-school transport contracts and also include standards to ensure legal compliance with all aspects of vehicle operation including:
- licensing law – (a) vehicle, (b) operator, and (c) drivers
- vehicles fit for purpose including being fitted with seatbelts throughout (as required for school trips by law)
- good practice and upholding appropriate standards
- the vetting of all drivers
The scheme is administered by Devon County Council’s Transport Co-ordination Service (TCS) which manages all DCC passenger transport (home-to-school transport, social services transport, supported public transport and community transport commissioning and provision).
The list will be updated on an ongoing basis so as to ensure that (a) any operators wishing to be included can do so, and (b) failure to comply may be reflected by an operator being withdrawn from the list.
Please note that if a school is currently using an operator that is satisfactory and is not on the approved list, they may continue to do so. It is not compulsory to use only those operators included on the list.
If you have any concerns arising as a result of bus or coach hire, for example, if a contractor has not complied with these standards or any other queries, please direct these to TCS.