Now that the government’s deregulated the pricing cap on schoolbus services, operators are assuring their customers that the price hike is not going to be unreasonable … but there will be a price hike, of course.
The Federation of Malaysian Schoo Bus Operators said in a statement today that fares will likely go up by RM5 to RM10 come January, when the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) cap on pricing lapses.
“It won’t be a steep hike,” said federation secretary-general Md Saad Mohamad, as quoted by Razak Ahmad of The Star Online.
He added that the rates would be finalised by the end of this year, closer to the actual deregulation of schoolbus fare prices.
In urban areas – KL included – parents now pay an average of RM27.43 for the first kilometre of their children’s bus route monthly, and RM2.05 for every subsequent kilometre.
The federation’s new pay rate would affect 15,000 registered bus operators nationwide, and it’s estimated the more lucrative revised rate would attract the estimated 30,000 unlicensed bus operators around the country to come forward and sign up under SPAD auspices.
Schoolbus fares are only one front on which Malaysian parents are facing higher costs next year; the recently implemented fuel hikes and the impending introduction of the GST is likely to bring with them inflated prices at least in the short term. All eyes are now on Prime Minister Najib Razak’s Bajet2015 speech tomorrow to see what safety nets the Federal Government will be putting in place for the average consumer.
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