- School bus drivers are set to benefit from a Queensland Government funding package to improve wages.
- The funding eases cost-of-living pressures on school bus drivers and assists in attracting and retaining drivers.
- Bus service delivery partners contracted by Translink to deliver school services will be eligible for the funding.
The Miles Government is expanding a funding package to boost school bus driver wages across the state.
The funding package will support bus service delivery partners, who are the employer of drivers, to improve the conditions of their school bus drivers.
The wage uplift for school bus drivers follows the Queensland Government's investment in boosting wages for South East Queensland and Regional Urban bus drivers.
The increase ensures that school bus driver wages maintain relativity in pay rates with urban bus drivers.
Under the expanded package, delivery partners contracted by Translink will also be eligible for funding to support a wage increase to school bus drivers to $29.62 per hour on 30 September 2024 and a subsequent increase to $31.17 per hour (ordinary hourly rate) on 1 July 2025. Note: Drivers may also receive casual and other loadings that boost this rate, if eligible.
The Queensland Government investment is aimed at easing the cost-of-living pressures school bus drivers face. The package is also targeted at alleviating bus driver shortage issues by improving attraction and retention of drivers, which will increase the reliability of school transport services.
Translink will continue to work with its individual delivery partners to distribute funding for the state's school bus drivers.
As stated by Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Bart Mellish:
"The Queensland Government is committed to providing reliable and efficient school transport services for families across Queensland.
"We recognise the important work school bus drivers do every day in connecting students to education.
"Improving wages for school bus drivers is a reflection of our unwavering commitment to supporting jobs, easing cost-of-living pressures, and creating better public transport connections for communities in Queensland.
"Delivering wage increases to our school bus drivers will help retain the outstanding school bus drivers we have already while helping to attract additional skilled professionals to the industry.
"More school bus drivers with better conditions will ultimately lead to better public transport services provided to our kids."
As stated by Josh Millroy, Director of Organising TWU Queensland:
"The Transport Workers' Union is proud to support today's announcement for our hardworking school bus drivers.
"This wages boost for our school bus drivers reflects the critical work these drivers do.
"This comes on the back of the previous wage adjustment won in 2023 by bus drivers and TWU members across Queensland.
"It's critical now that bus operators get on board and pass on this pay increase to these workers and their families, who are feeling the pressures of the rising cost of living.
"As pressure on our public transport sector builds with population growth and the lead up to the 2032 Olympics, this funding will boost retention of these critical workers.
