Bushfire, Extreme Weather & Route Disruption Policy
Keeping Passengers Safe When Conditions Turn, Following NSW Authority Advice
New South Wales sees bushfires, storms, floods, extreme heat and the road closures that come with them. When conditions turn, our approach is simple and never negotiable: safety comes first. This policy explains how we prepare for and respond to bushfire, extreme weather and route disruption, and how we follow the advice of the NSW fire and emergency authorities in every decision.
No trip is worth putting passengers at risk. Where conditions make travel unsafe, we will delay, reroute or, if necessary, cancel a service, always in consultation with the client. This policy sits alongside our Emergency & Incident Management Policy.
Safety First, Always | We Follow NSW RFS & Authority Advice | No Trip Is Worth a Risk
Our Principle: Safety First
The decision to travel, delay, reroute or cancel is guided by one question: can this service run safely? We do not weigh a schedule, a booking or a cost against passenger safety, safety wins every time. When the NSW authorities advise against travel in an area, or conditions on the ground make a route unsafe, we act on that advice rather than press on. This is especially important on school and community services carrying children and vulnerable passengers.
The Authorities We Follow
We do not make safety judgements in isolation. We monitor and act on the official sources that govern travel safety in NSW.
| Authority or Source | What We Use It For |
|---|---|
| NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) | Fire Danger Ratings, Total Fire Ban declarations, and bushfire warnings (Advice, Watch and Act, Emergency Warning) for the areas we travel through. |
| Bureau of Meteorology | Severe weather, storm, heat and flood warnings. |
| NSW State Emergency Service (SES) | Flood and storm advice and warnings. |
| Live Traffic NSW & Transport for NSW | Road closures, incidents and route conditions. |
Bushfire ratings, warnings and Total Fire Ban information are issued by the NSW Rural Fire Service. Where these sources advise against travel, that advice guides our decision.
Bushfire and Total Fire Bans
Bushfire is the most serious travel risk in an NSW summer, and we treat it accordingly. Our decisions follow the RFS system of ratings and warnings.
| Fire Danger Ratings | On days of the highest ratings, and particularly Catastrophic, we reassess travel through bushfire-prone areas and consult with the client before proceeding. |
| Total Fire Ban days | We take extra care on Total Fire Ban days and monitor conditions closely along the route. |
| Bushfire warnings | We do not travel into an area under an Emergency Warning. Where a Watch and Act applies, we reassess the route and may delay or reroute. |
| Bushfire-prone routes | For travel through bushfire-prone areas in the fire season, consistent with NSW school excursion guidance, we plan carefully and keep alternatives in mind. |
Extreme Weather and Road Disruption
Bushfire is not the only condition that can affect a service. We respond to the full range of severe weather and disruption.
| Storms and flooding | We never drive through floodwater, in line with the SES message to never drive, ride or walk through flood water. Flooded or storm-damaged routes are avoided or rerouted. |
| Extreme heat | Our vehicles are air-conditioned, and we take account of extreme heat in planning, particularly for services carrying children or vulnerable passengers. |
| Road closures and incidents | We monitor Live Traffic NSW and reroute around closures and major incidents, keeping the client informed of any impact on timing. |
| Reduced visibility | In fog, smoke or heavy rain, drivers reduce speed and, if conditions become unsafe, stop safely until it is safe to continue. |
How We Communicate and Decide
When conditions may affect a service, we keep the client informed and make decisions together wherever time allows.
| Before travel | If conditions are forecast to affect a service, we contact the client in advance to discuss options, including delaying, rerouting or rescheduling. |
| During travel | If conditions change on the road, the driver makes the safe decision on the ground, and our operations team and the client are kept informed. |
| The driver’s authority | The driver always has the authority to stop, wait, reroute or turn back if continuing would be unsafe. No instruction overrides that judgement. |
| If a service cannot run | Where safety requires a service to be cancelled or cut short, we work with the client on the best alternative. Any effect on charges is handled reasonably and in line with our Terms & Conditions. |
See our Terms & Conditions and Booking Postponement Policy.
Our Commitment
Weather and fire are beyond anyone’s control, but how we respond is not. When conditions turn, you can rely on us to put safety first, to follow the advice of the NSW authorities, to keep you informed, and to make sensible decisions in partnership with you. A delayed or rescheduled trip is always better than an unsafe one, and on that we will never compromise.
Questions About Our Safety Approach?
Travelling into regional NSW or worried about conditions? Talk to us, safety is always the priority.
NSW Accreditation No. 39461 | Operating Since 2003 | Ph: 1300 468 199 | Mobile: 0413 182 999