A Wauchope mother is pushing for an overhaul to the school travel pass scheme in the name of children's safety.
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Shalisa McDonough has launched a petition at change.org to call for better transport to and from schools.
Ultimately, she would like every primary school child in the state to be eligible for a free school travel pass.
Miss McDonough usually walks her eight-year-old daughter Monique to and from school as the Year 3 student does not qualify for a free school travel pass.
The mother-of-three is amid an appeal over the bus pass decision to Transport for NSW.
A Transport for NSW spokesperson said the appeal over the decision will be reviewed by an independent panel in the coming week.
The walk from the family home to Wauchope Public School spans an estimated 2.4 kilometres including the need to cross a major arterial road and negotiate stretches without footpaths.
"It is a complete zigzag to get to school," Miss McDonough said.
The walk takes 40 minutes each way.
Miss McDonough's son seven-year-old Loghan is eligible for a free school travel pass but usually walks with the family to make it fair for everybody.
"I believe kids' safety is everything," Miss McDonough said.
"Transport should be made easy to get to and from school for every child."
Bus travel to and from school also taught children a lot of life skills, she said.
The School Student Transport Scheme gives eligible school students free or subsidised travel between home and school on NSW public transport.
A Transport for NSW spokesperson said students must meet the eligibility criteria relevant to their year of schooling.
Program eligibility outlines a minimum distance between home and school.
That is for kindergarten to year 2, no minimum distance; years 3-6, 1.6km straight line distance or 2.3km walking or further; and years 7-12, 2km straight line distance or 2.9km walking or further.
School students who do not meet the eligibility criteria for free travel can purchase a school term bus pass to travel on buses between home and school.
The school term bus pass costs $55 a term within the Opal network.
Rural and regional bus operators may also offer discounted school term bus passes to students, which are priced at the individual bus company's discretion.
Miss McDonough admits she could buy a school term bus pass but says money is sometimes tight.
Her stance is about equity and safety.
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