Some school bus operators raise fees as they grapple with rising costs, lack of drivers

SINGAPORE: Some school bus operators have increased their fees, as they struggle with a slew of issues such as rising fuel costs, high Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices and a shortage of drivers. 
 
This has also led some parents to send their children to school by public transport instead. 
 
At a primary school in Bishan, for instance, school bus operators have found it increasingly expensive to run trips. 
 
“The cost of fuel has gone up. When I bought this vehicle about 10 years ago, pumping one full tank of diesel was about S$60, but now the price has gone up to over S$200,” said Mr Sundra Segaran, founder of Gaya Transport and Services.

“We also have to cover our road tax, insurance, and our car park (prices).”
 
His company is subcontracted to service the school and works with major players like Million Bus Transport Services.

BIGGER SCHOOL BUS OPERATORS ALSO STRUGGLING

Even bigger school bus operators are struggling to cope with various issues. 
 
Million Bus Transport Services said it has had to raise its prices by 5 per cent to keep the business going.
 
Mr Goh Yew Chye, the founder of the transport company, said: “We definitely increased our prices, but it still isn't enough to cover rising costs. Fuel prices have increased and everything else too. Now, our burdens are extra heavy.”
 
The demand for school bus services is also slowing. 

SHORTAGE OF DRIVERS AN IMMEDIATE CONCERN

The most pressing problem for private bus companies is the lack of drivers, said Mr Phillip Peh, president of the Singapore School & Private Hire Bus Owners’ Association.
 
“Most of our jobs are done during the morning and evening peak hours, and no jobs in between, from 9am to 4pm. This deters Singaporeans (from joining) our industry, even after we've raised the salary package to attract them,” added Mr Peh, who is the general manager of Tong Tar Transport Service.
 
“About 70 per cent of the drivers we have are above 50 years old. So if nothing is done, we will have fewer bus drivers in years to come.”
 
The association said it hopes the Government will consider allowing more non-Singaporeans to drive the buses.
 
It added that if nothing is done, there would be less bus drivers not just to take the students to and from school, but also to ferry workers to factories and offices.