School bus fees are expected to increase in March! “An increase of RM10 to RM20 is considered low”
The Federation of Malaysian Student Bus Associations (FMSBA) has pointed out that school bus fares are also expected to increase when the 2024/2025 academic year starts in March, due to the RM1,500 minimum salary system and the rising prices of imported parts.
According to Free Malaysia Today, Federation of Malaysian Student Bus Association president Amari said parents in the Klang Valley should be prepared for an expected RM10 to RM20 hike in monthly school bus fares.
He pointed out that the starting price of RM10 to RM20 was still considered a low increase as students take the school bus about 44 times a month, which would only start at 90 sen per trip if the starting price of RM20 is taken as an example.
“Parents should not think that our starting price is random we calculate it based on the number of times a student takes the bus daily.”
He emphasized that the increase in school bus fares was unavoidable, mainly due to the implementation of the minimum wage system in July last year, as well as the increase in the price of imported spare parts, which was also exacerbated by the weak Malaysian dollar.
In any case, he said, the rate of fare increase varied from person to person and region to region, as the association could only provide guidance and advice, and it was ultimately up to the operators to weigh the pros and cons and reach a consensus with parents.
The government has not regulated school bus fares since 2015, enabling operators to set their prices. However, the government has subsidized diesel at RM1.88 per liter for registered school buses since 2017; diesel currently sells for RM2.15.
In addition, Amari pointed out that the council had received complaints from some school bus drivers that parents refused to pay for the entire month if two weeks of the month were school holidays.
He said the drivers have to bear the operating costs for the whole year as well as the mandatory maintenance costs every three months, and that the income is not based on daily or weekly trips but on the school semester.
