Safety management framework for road-based public passenger services

In February 2024, new laws were made to introduce a safety management framework for all road-based public passenger services to enhance safety and align with existing legislation. This framework applies consistently to public passenger services that are provided on a road such as:

• buses (light and heavy)
• taxis and booked hire vehicles
• other vehicles used to provide public passenger services.

This aims to ensure a proactive approach to managing safety risks.

This framework is designed to improve safety by focusing on managing risk and requiring those involved with providing a service to follow safety responsibilities and create mandatory safety plans. These plans help in identifying, assessing and managing safety risks specific to their passenger service.

The new framework aligns with Queensland work health and safety laws (WHS laws) and heavy vehicle national law (HVNL) and addresses safety gaps specific to road-based public passenger services.

What is a safety management framework

A safety management framework is a systematic approach to managing workplace risks by placing the responsibility for safety into the hands of industry participants.

Changes to passenger transport legislation have moved the industry from prescriptive regulation to a safety management framework. Under the prescriptive regulation, operators had to follow a set of minimum legal requirements, regardless of their individual business circumstances—this approach didn't account for the unique situations or characteristics of each business.

The new safety management framework takes a different approach. It places the responsibility for safety into the hands of operators and booking service providers, encouraging them to proactively manage safety in ways that suit their specific business. This framework introduces a safety duty, meaning industry participants involved in providing public passenger services are responsible for ensuring safety.

There is a lot of evidence, from Australia and other countries, showing that moving from prescriptive regulation to a safety duty reduces workplace injuries and deaths. It should also reduce costs for businesses over the long term by removing red tape.

A safety management framework helps businesses manage safety risks through policies, procedures, and activities. It allows businesses to make decisions based on risks and continuously improve safety. This approach is now considered best practice in Australia because it allows businesses to adapt quickly to changes.

Key changes

Consistent regulatory framework

The new framework amends existing chain of responsibility provisions for personalised transport services like taxis, limousines and booked hire and extends the new safety duty provisions to all road-based public passenger services.

New safety duties

Duty holders are now required to take a proactive and preventative approach to managing safety. Learn more about duty holders and their safety responsibilities for road-based public passenger services.

Safety management plans

Responsible duty holders must develop safety management plans to address safety risks specific to the road-based public passenger service. Learn about safety management plans for road-based public passenger services.

Audit and direction framework

To ensure a consistent audit and direction framework across all road-based public passenger services, Section 100 notices for Operator Accreditation holders have been replaced with a 'Direction to Comply' provision for all duty holders. New audit provisions will apply to all duty holders. Information about audits under the new framework will be shared soon.

New offences

Offences related to compliance with safety duties and safety management plans will now apply to all road-based public passenger services. Read about safety duty offences for road-based public passenger services.

Implementation timeline

20 February 2026—The new framework starts. During the 6-month transition period, people already working in the industry, who continue to follow the existing/previous requirements, will be seen as meeting the new requirements. Anyone new to the industry must meet the new requirements straight away.

20 August 2026—Everyone must fully comply with the new framework. Safety management plans will be mandatory for all responsible duty holders.

Expiring passenger transport standard

When the safety management framework starts, the Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Standard 2010 (PT Standard) will expire. This is particularly relevant to providers of operator accreditation services, who currently need to comply with the PT Standard. Provisions from the expiring PT Standard will either:

• transition into the Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Regulation 2018 (PT Regulation) to maintain safety standards
  or
• expire as they are managed under existing legislation or the new safety management framework.

Transitioning topics

Certain provisions from the expiring PT Standard are proposed to transition into the PT Regulation to maintain safety standards. These include:

• required training for operator accreditation
• minimum driver training requirements
• compliance with relevant vehicle standards
• inspection requirements
• incident reporting
• warning signs and lights on 'light' school buses
• compliance with the Code of Conduct for School Students Travelling on Buses
• vehicle maintenance record-keeping requirements
• 3 for 2 seating for young children
• managing safety risks for standing passengers
• maximum vehicle age limits and frame inspection requirements
• padding and vehicle type requirements
• structural repairs by qualified tradespeople.

Expiring topics

The following prescriptive requirements are proposed to expire as they are effectively managed under existing legislation or the new safety management framework:

• Driver licence requirements are already covered by the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995.
• Alcohol and drug-free driver mandates are duplicated under existing law.
• Safety obligations for drivers/operators ensure safe vehicle operation will be addressed by safety duties.
• Overloading rules are already regulated under existing transport laws.
• Limiting standing passenger distance on school buses will be addressed by safety duties and vehicle design.
• Permitted standing passenger provision to be managed through safety duties and vehicle design.
• Customer service is considered a non-safety issue and is left to business discretion.
• Adhering to transport and heavy vehicle laws is already obligatory.
• Activation of auxiliary brakes is supervised through safety duties and vehicle standards.
• Heavy school bus warning signs will revert to heavy vehicle national law.
• Luggage storage requirements will be controlled by safety duties.
• Cleanliness of vehicles is a business matter, with safety elements managed through safety duties.
• Compulsory third-party insurance for vehicles may be required under a contract, or because it is a standard requirement.
• Complaint handling for safety issues is addressed by safety duties. Other complaints are a business matter.
• Incident Management Plans will be addressed by safety duties (but where a contract continues to require an incident management plan, this will be specified in the contract).

Also consider

• Learn about safety duties for road-based public passenger services.
• Find information on developing a safety management plan.
• Read how passenger transport laws work with other safety laws.