'Bas Sekolah' Operators Forced To Increase Its Fare By 40% To Survive

School bus fares have not been adjusted since 2009 and the fare adjustment request made by school bus operators over the past four years have not been approved. The Federation of School Bus Operators Association thus decided to adopt a compromise by flexibly impose a maximum 40% of surcharge starting new school term next year, unless if the Land and Public Transport Commission (SPAD) allows a fare adjustment.

Amali, who was elected as the new president at its annual general meeting here last week, said the new committee would accept the decision made by the previous committee over the increase of the fare by 40 per cent.

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School bus operators are going ahead to hike their fares when schools reopen next year.
The Federation of Malaysian School Bus Operators' Association president Amali Munif Rahmat said the federation will continue to fight for the quantum of 40 per cent fare hike.

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He urged school bus operators to unite as their livelihood was greatly affected by escalating operational costs.

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School bus operators are adamant and it seems to have reached a point where fare adjustment is a must. Indeed, the diesel price has been adjusted twice since last year and caused a chain of effects, including the surge of diesel, tyres and spare parts prices, as well as maintenance feest. Since the costs have been increased but they are not allowed to adjust fares, they could only impose a surcharge.

In fact, school bus operators have been facing complex difficulties. In particular, the industry has been trapped in a plight after the Budget tabled last year provided all school buses aged above 30 years to be scrapped starting from Jan 1, 2013. Although the government provides RM10,000 of subsidy and low interest loans to encourage operators to purchase new school buses, a great deal of red tape has led them into a dilemma of not being allowed to continue using old school buses while having their loan applications rejected.

Amali said school bus operators would only increase the fares with the consent of parents.
Although most of the parents from the lower income group are sympathetic to our woes and have consented to the increase, we will continue to seek a full support from all parents."

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He said the federation would not negotiate the increase of school bus fares with the Public Land Transport Commission (SPAD) chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar as it was ' fed up' speaking to him.

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SCHOOL bus operators are not allowed to increase their fares until they receive the go-ahead from the Public Land Transport Commission (SPAD).

SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said even though the operators felt they had grounds to do so, they still needed to wait for an official decision on the new fare scheme.

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"They cannot increase the bus fare as they wish even though they think they have basis to do so."

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He said SPAD acknowledged the problems faced by operators and that a decision on the bus fare issue would be made soon. "We hope to sort things out before the beginning of the school term."

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The monthly fare for school buses in urban areas is RM27.43 for the first kilometre and RM2.02 for the following kilometre. Fares for rural areas started at RM20.61 for the first kilometre and RM2.02 for the following kilometre.

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The last fare increase for school buses was in August 2009, by RM6.33 for the first kilometre for buses in urban areas and RM4.76 for buses in rural areas.

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