Ever since the beginning of the year, when the Victorian government announced the decision to defer bus replacement and upgrade orders, for regional and school bus operators, the Bus Industry Confederation (BIC) has been working to secure a multi-million-dollar safety net set to support the Australian bus supplier industry for the next three to four […]

ABC sat down with BIC’s new executive director, Varenya Mohan-Ram, to learn about his upbringing, beliefs and goals to lead Australia’s bus industry into a new era. I’m roughly 10 minutes into my sit-down interview with Varenya Mohan-Ram when a keen member of the bus and coach industry comes to join us. It’s just minutes […]

The Bus Industry Confederation (BIC), Australia’s national peak body in the bus and coach sector, continues to urge governments across the country to review and update their policies on seat belt usage—particularly on dedicated school bus services. Queensland remains the outlier among mainland states, as it does not mandate seat belts on dedicated school buses. […]

The South Australian bus industry, led by BusSA, stands at a defining moment — one that calls for bold leadership, national collaboration and smarter, future-ready frameworks. Speaking at the BusSA conference in May 2025, BIC ED Varenya Mohan-Ram delivered a rousing call to action, urging stakeholders to embrace regulatory reform, harmonisation and practical pathways to […]

Operation Solstice Recently, at the QBIC Conference in Cairns, the NHVR’s COO Paul Salvati released the results of the bus inspection blitz. “Operation Solstice targeted a range of critical compliance areas including ensuring buses were properly maintained and mechanically safe, and that drivers were complying with their work and rest hours,” Mr Salvati said. The […]

“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” When J.K. Rowling penned Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, she could never have imagined that the line would feature so prominently within Australian bus and coach. Nevertheless, today she gets to share the limelight with new BIC Executive […]

ICYMI: Employers now have a positive duty to prevent sexual harassment at work. But what does this mean exactly? All employers are now required to take proactive steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace before it arises. It is no longer acceptable for employers to take a reactive approach to complaints of this nature. […]

New Model Terms – Enterprise Agreements As of 26 February 2025, you’ll need to be across new model terms for enterprise agreements. The Fair Work Commission (FWC) now has the power to determine model terms within an EBA, replacing the previous system where the terms were prescribed by the Fair Work Regulations. Throughout a period […]

Clerks Award – Working from Home We have supported the general position of industry groups that proposed changes to incorporate working from home clauses in the Clerks Award should be made carefully. We suggest that the FWC explore amendments to pre-existing options with the Award including Individual Flexibility Agreements and Flexible Work Arrangements. Unless your […]

ABC sat down with BIC’s new executive director, Varenya Mohan-Ram, to learn about his upbringing, beliefs and goals to lead Australia’s bus industry into a new era. I’m roughly 10 minutes into my sit-down interview with Varenya Mohan-Ram when a keen member of the bus and coach industry comes to join us. It’s just minutes […]

The Bus Industry Confederation (BIC), Australia’s national peak body in the bus and coach sector, continues to urge governments across the country to review and update their policies on seat belt usage—particularly on dedicated school bus services. Queensland remains the outlier among mainland states, as it does not mandate seat belts on dedicated school buses. […]

The South Australian bus industry, led by BusSA, stands at a defining moment — one that calls for bold leadership, national collaboration and smarter, future-ready frameworks. Speaking at the BusSA conference in May 2025, BIC ED Varenya Mohan-Ram delivered a rousing call to action, urging stakeholders to embrace regulatory reform, harmonisation and practical pathways to […]

Operation Solstice Recently, at the QBIC Conference in Cairns, the NHVR’s COO Paul Salvati released the results of the bus inspection blitz. “Operation Solstice targeted a range of critical compliance areas including ensuring buses were properly maintained and mechanically safe, and that drivers were complying with their work and rest hours,” Mr Salvati said. The […]

“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” When J.K. Rowling penned Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, she could never have imagined that the line would feature so prominently within Australian bus and coach. Nevertheless, today she gets to share the limelight with new BIC Executive […]

ICYMI: Employers now have a positive duty to prevent sexual harassment at work. But what does this mean exactly? All employers are now required to take proactive steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace before it arises. It is no longer acceptable for employers to take a reactive approach to complaints of this nature. […]

New Model Terms – Enterprise Agreements As of 26 February 2025, you’ll need to be across new model terms for enterprise agreements. The Fair Work Commission (FWC) now has the power to determine model terms within an EBA, replacing the previous system where the terms were prescribed by the Fair Work Regulations. Throughout a period […]

Clerks Award – Working from Home We have supported the general position of industry groups that proposed changes to incorporate working from home clauses in the Clerks Award should be made carefully. We suggest that the FWC explore amendments to pre-existing options with the Award including Individual Flexibility Agreements and Flexible Work Arrangements. Unless your […]

Submission: National Heavy Vehicle Regulator – National Vehicle Safety Initiative, Dunnies for Drivers In March, APTIA submitted Dunnies for Drivers calling for funding to address the fundamental issue of driver accessibility to facilities whilst on route, specifically urban and metro routes. Access to facilities was a key issue raised in the Recruitment and Retention Project. […]