We’re focused on providing accessible transport services for people in the community, including people with a disability, seniors, children, students and commuters.

Planning an accessible trip

To plan an accessible trip:

  • Use the trip planner to find a bus service with accessible features
  • On printed timetables and bus stop timetables, look for the wheelchair symbol next to a trip
  • On the front of the bus, look for the wheelchair symbol for accessible bus services.
Accessible buses

Accessible buses make a journey safer and comfortable with accessible features including:

  • low floors, wide doors and wide aisles
  • automatic ramps and kerbside kneeling technology for easier boarding
  • priority seating areas
  • handrails and stop buttons in easy to reach areas
  • colour contrasting within the bus to distinguish between steps, aisles and priority seating area for people with vision impairment
Concession and free travel

Concession travel

Concessions are available to assist seniors, children, students, Centrelink customers and Asylum seekers.

If you’re travelling in our North Coast region, you can purchase a Regional Excursion Daily Ticket for $2.50 for unlimited daily travel, if you hold one of the following concession cards:

Free travel

You are eligible for free travel on Busways services if you hold one of the following cards:

If you have a NSW Companion Card, your attendant can travel for free. Please show your NSW Companion Card to the driver when boarding or requested by a transport officer as proof of entitlement for your attendant.

Priority seating area

The priority seating area is intended for use by the following people who may benefit from a seat at the front of the bus:

  • people with disability and mobility issues
  • people with prams or strollers
  • seniors
  • young children (under 5 years old)

Priority seating areas are identified by stickers on the window and markings on the floor.

These seats are not reserved and can be used by all passengers on a first come, first served basis.

If you are sitting in the priority seating area, please vacate the seat for the persons listed above if requested. You are not required to exit the bus in order to make room.

If you are a person with disability occupying a priority seat, you are not required to move for another person with disability.

Mobility aids

Accessible buses have been designed to comply with the national standards for mobility aids.

Mobility aids such as walkers, walking aids, wheelchairs and electronic wheelchairs must comply with the following specifications on bus services.

Mobility aid dimensions

Your mobility aid must:

  • fit within an allocated space of 1300mm by 800mm
  • be no more than 750mm wide
  • weigh 300kg maximum (including the occupant and assistant).

Oversized wheelchairs and scooters may not be able to board due to ramp weight restrictions.

Stability

Your mobility aid must:

  • be able to move in the direction determined by the transport operator
  • have effective braking systems to maintain stability.

Manoeuvrability

Your mobility aid should be able to:

  • turn 180 degrees within an area of 2070mm by 1540mm
  • cross a horizontal gap up to 50mm wide
  • mount a vertical rise (bump) up to 15mm
  • cross grating gaps up to 13mm wide and 150mm long
  • negotiate a 1:14 grade ramp unassisted
  • negotiate up to a 1:8 grade where the ramp is less than 1520mm
  • negotiate a 1:4 grade ramp with assistance.

Further detail of these specifications is provided in the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 of the Disability Discrimination Act.

Travelling with an assistance animal

Passengers who have a certified seeing or hearing guide dog, an assistance animal or a police dog are permitted on our buses with their animals at all times.

To help our drivers differentiate between your assistance animal and a pet, please display your Assistance Animal Permit when boarding.

Guide, hearing, police and security dogs do not require a permit.

People with assistance animals are encouraged to sit in the priority seating area near the front of the bus to help keep the aisles clear for the safety of both their animal and other passengers.

Assistance animals may travel for free, however owners are still required to have a valid pass or ticket for travel.

TTY response

For hearing and speech impaired customers, Transport Info offers a TTY response - call 1800 637 500.

Translating and Interpreting Service

If you’re a non-English speaker, you can get assistance with enquiries and trip planning information by:

  • calling the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450
  • calling 131 500 and asking for an interpreter.
Accessible Transport Action Plan

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ social model of disability states that people with disability are not disabled by their impairment but by the barriers in the community that prevent them gaining equal access to information, services, transport, housing, education, training, employment and social opportunities.

Busways Accessible Transport Action Plan outlines how Busways removes barriers to the bus network and supports inclusion for people with physical, intellectual, cognitive or sensory disability, or immobility due to injury, illness, pregnancy or age.

The primary focus of our Plan is on the aspects of the passenger journey that are under Busways' control, such as workforce behaviour, asset maintenance and service information. It also considers aspects that Busways does not control but can influence through proactive partnership, such as network infrastructure, fleet design and technology.

The strategies outlined in our Plan consider these aspects across the whole journey:

  • The period before a journey, including access to information and bus stops
  • The journey onboard, including access to the vehicle, appropriate seating or space, comfort of the journey itself, and information provided during the trip
  • Post journey, including leaving the vehicle and resolving feedback related to the trip.

For more information view our Accessible Transport Action Plan.