United Coachlines provides vacation care bus hire for OSHC services across Fairfield City and South West and Western Sydney. We supply 20, 28, 48 and 57 seat vehicles with drivers who are used to children’s groups, plus the transport details you need for your risk assessment.
Get a community group quote. Send us your holiday program dates and we will quote each excursion. Use our online quote form.
Who we work with
Our vacation care work covers:
- school-based OSHC services running holiday programs
- community-run and council holiday programs
- faith-based and cultural children’s programs
- specialist programs for children with disability, where extra time and support staff are part of the plan
We travel from Fairfield, Liverpool, Canterbury-Bankstown, Parramatta, Macarthur and Blacktown, and take groups to venues across Sydney.
How a vacation care booking works
- Send your program. List each excursion day, the venue, arrival and departure times, and expected numbers.
- We match vehicles. We suggest a size for each day based on children plus educators, with room for bags and lunch boxes.
- You confirm. Once enrolments settle, confirm final numbers and we lock in each vehicle.
- We send the details. Before each excursion you receive the vehicle, driver name, pick-up time and a direct contact number for the day.
Information for your risk assessment
Under the Education and Care Services National Regulations, services must assess risks before taking children on an excursion, and before any other transport they provide or arrange. ACECQA’s transport risk assessment template asks for the route, travel times, means of transport, seatbelt or restraint requirements, embarking and disembarking procedures and a record that accounts for each child. For each booking we provide:
- the vehicle type and seat count
- whether the vehicle has seatbelts fitted
- the pick-up point, destination and expected travel times
- a route outline and any planned stops
- the driver’s name and a contact number for the day
If you run the same trip often, such as a weekly pool visit, ACECQA’s guidance treats it as regular transport, where the risk assessment is reviewed at least every 12 months. A change of transport provider, route or destination counts as a substantial change, so let us know if anything changes on our side.
On the day
Our drivers arrive early, check the loading area and wait for the lead educator before children walk out. On board:
- educators check names at boarding and at every stop
- the driver waits for the educator’s all-clear before moving
- children stay seated with seatbelts on until the coach has stopped
- after each drop-off, the driver and an educator walk the aisle to check for children and belongings
Drivers on children’s work hold a current Working With Children Check.
Choosing the right vehicle
| Group size (children plus educators) | Suggested vehicle |
|---|---|
| Up to 20 | 20 seat minibus |
| 21 to 28 | 28 seat coach |
| 29 to 48 | 48 seat coach |
| 49 to 57 | 57 seat coach |
| 58 and over | two vehicles on one timetable |
See photos and features on our fleet page. For term-time before and after school runs, see our school and OSHC transport page.
Why services choose a dedicated coach
Public transport can work for a small group of older children, but it brings extra risks: crowded platforms, changes between services and children spread across carriages. A dedicated coach keeps the whole group together from your door to the venue door. Educators can supervise everyone at once, the timetable is set by your program rather than a train schedule, and bags, hats and water bottles stay with the group.
A coach also helps when plans change. If a venue closes early or the weather turns, one phone call can move the pick-up time, which is far harder to manage with 40 children on public transport.
Popular vacation care excursions
Holiday programs we carry often visit aquatic centres, cinemas and bowling centres, wildlife parks, museums, Sydney Olympic Park, beaches and local adventure playgrounds. For outdoor days in summer, we can hold an indoor back-up option in the same booking, so a hot-weather change does not mean starting again.
For longer trips, such as a day at the beach or a regional wildlife park, we plan a toilet stop on the way and confirm where the coach can set down close to the entrance. Tell us about any venue booking times, because many attractions give school holiday groups a fixed entry slot, and arriving early or late can cost part of the day.
Vacation care bus hire FAQs
Do you supply buses for every school holiday period?
Yes. We run vacation care excursions in all four NSW school holiday periods, with summer the busiest.
Can you provide the details our risk assessment needs?
Yes. We send the vehicle, seat count, seatbelt fitment, route outline, travel times, driver name and day-of contact number.
What if our numbers drop after enrolments close?
Tell us before the excursion and we will move you to a smaller vehicle where one is available.
Can the same driver do all our excursions in a holiday period?
We try to keep the same driver for a service where rosters allow, so children see a familiar face.
Do you carry children with disability or additional needs?
Yes. Tell us about mobility aids and support staff, and we will confirm a suitable vehicle and allow extra boarding time.
Is a weekly holiday pool trip treated differently from a one-off excursion?
ACECQA guidance treats trips repeated in the same circumstances as regular transport, reviewed at least every 12 months.
Get a community group quote. Book transport for your next vacation care program. Use our online quote form.
