School Private Hire

Lucketts Travel has drawn up a quality assurance standard for the provision of transport for school trips and tours within the criteria laid down by the DfES and LEAs as being a minimum standard.

Lucketts Travel is a member of the bus and coach industry trade body, The Confederation of Passenger Transport and has been awarded the prestigious CoachMarque standard, the coach industry's only quality standard, which includes the following criteria:-

• Drivers are issued with a handbook, containing pertinent information to carry out their duties both professionally and in line with Lucketts procedures

• There is high quality driver training programme in place

• All Lucketts coaches used on school trips are fitted with seat belts

• All coaches are presented in a clean and safe condition

• There is a 24-hour breakdown call-out procedure

• Lucketts Travel has a point of booking continuously staffed 0900-1700 (Mon-Fri)

• Conditions of hire are based on terms at least as favourable as those outlined by The Confederation The customers journey documents will accurately reflect the customers booking

• There is an effective complaints procedure

• There is a 24 hour contact procedure in case of emergency

• Lucketts drivers wear a company uniform, which makes them readily recognisable

• Lucketts fully complies with financial protection legislation

• Lucketts provides commitment to the highest levels of safety and comfort

• Lucketts has a written health and safety policy, complying to HSE guidelines, a copy of which is available on request

• Lucketts is the subject of regular rigorous external assessments of all standards
  

In addition to all those items listed, Lucketts have also added the following extra checks;-

• Lucketts has an appointed school trips safety officer

• The coach carries copies of an organisers safety card, explaining emergency procedures to the group leader and all escorts

• Lucketts have carried out risk assessments on school trips and copies of the written records are available to school organisers on request

• Drivers licences are checked every four months, including with DVLA Swansea when first employed or when a duplicate licence is presented. This is to check that drivers have a current and valid licence to drive the class of vehicle they are driving

• Checks with the Criminal Records Bureau are carried out on all drivers used on school tours work. This is to ensure that drivers used on school work are not a risk to school children through inappropriate previous criminal records

• Lucketts keeps signed records of all training given to drivers.  This is to ensure that drivers have received appropriate training and that it has been understood.

• The drivers handbook contains detailed guidance on both how to deal with school children and students and also how to deal with roadside emergency situations. This is to reduce the risk of school children being injured in the event of an unplanned roadside incident.