The school bus owners association has issued a warning of a potential 15-18% increase in bus fees. According to a TOI report, The hike is attributed to recent expenses incurred for the installation of fire detection alarm and control systems inside the vehicles.
Operators expressed concerns over the mounting operational costs, including fuel, maintenance, and taxes. They highlighted that school buses in the city typically have a short lifespan of eight years, operating 220 days a year with a daily distance of 55km.
Anil Garg, representing the association, noted that the cost of buses has increased significantly over the years, nearly quadrupling from two decades ago. Additionally, the adoption of BS-VI vehicles, compliant with pollution control norms, has further escalated expenses, particularly due to the mandatory installation of expensive fire alarm systems.
In February, school bus owners’ association (SBOA) had warned of a bus fee hike of up to 25% if the state government went ahead with its decision to begin classes from pre-primary to class five at 9am, saying it would pose difficulties for them and would lead to increasing operational costs.This was done to help children get sufficient sleep on weekdays. As of now, some schools and pre-schools start as early as 7.30 am.