Strong interest in premium school transport service: Operator

SINGAPORE — A new premium school transport service that reduces students’ commuting time at a higher fee has attracted large interest, with more than 300 parents enquiring about it since a pilot was first introduced in January, the operator HDT Singapore Holdings said.

Currently, about 20 to 30 students are using the service, with 70 or so others on the waiting list. The premium service — launched officially today (April 17) by the Singapore School Transport Association (SSTA) and HDT — cuts commuting time between homes and schools by up to 40 per cent. But this comes at price: The service charges between S$300 and S$350 a month — more than three times higher than the regular fee. SSTA conceded that some parents who had initially expressed interest were put off by the high fee.

Speaking at the official launch, HDT managing director James Ng said that the children were placed on the waiting list because the operator was unable to group them with others living nearby. “We are looking at a 1 to 2 km parameter to pick up the students. If they (live outside the parameter), we are worried that they will affect the punctuality,” said Mr Ng.

The service uses electric vehicles that can take up to four students per car. Currently, 11 such cars from HDT Singapore Holdings are being used. Additional vehicles will gradually be rolled out to meet the high demand, and Mr Ng said he hopes that more will take up the service so that students on the waiting list can be grouped with others.

In a media statement, SSTA said it was timely to introduce such a “customised school car transport service”. “There are many parents out there who are concerned about their children having to wake up very early to catch the school bus, and who also wish that they could spend less time on the road,” said an SSTA spokesman. He added: “Some of these parents do not mind paying more for a customised transport service to allow their children more sleeping time.”