Selected school bus operators will be allowed to hire more foreign workers, in a move by the authorities to address a persistent driver shortage that has led to firms
MOE also announced that for contracts that start from 2024, operators will be required to serve only pupils living up to 4km from school, down from 6km. An operator can choose to ferry pupils who live farther from school, but the fare would be negotiated separately with the parents and not bounded by the contract.
Operators will also be allowed to designate common pick-up and drop-off points. This is meant to enable drivers to serve more pupils on each school bus route and use larger capacity buses where appropriate, so operators can deploy fewer drivers. MOE said reducing the number of stops may also help cut overall journey times and allow pupils who are picked up first to board the bus later.
Under the revised contract template, operators would be allowed to submit a second set of fares after the initial two years. The MOE said this was to help operators keep their services sustainable.This move comes as operating costs - especially the price of fuel - have risen significantly in recent years, beyond the levels when the contracts were set.
MOE said students who are on its Financial Assistance Scheme, which covers 65 per cent of the monthly school bus fares, can continue to approach their schools for help.
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