Crisis in the School Bus Ecosystem

By Nischal Ranjinath Muniandy

October 2023 FEATURE
main image
Advertisement
WALKING ALONG Jalan Gottlieb on a balmy Wednesday evening, I could not help but be struck by the sheer amount of vehicles on the road. Traffic was at a crawl, with cars bumper-to-bumper and motorcycles weaving through any available gap. The last bell had just rung at the Penang Chinese Girls’ High School, and students were streaming out. Parents were jostling for space to wait for their children while school buses were trapped in a sea of vehicles.This gridlock is...

Subscribe to our e-archive to read our older articles.

Subscribe Now
References
  • [1] Ahmad Fadhlullah Adnan. (2022, January 16). Pengusaha bas sekolah mahu kerajaan bantu turunkan caj insurans. Utusan Malaysia. https://www. utusan.com.my/berita/2022/01/pengusaha-bas-sekolah-mahukerajaan-bantu-turunkan-cajinsurans/
  • [2] Ahmad Hasbi. (2023a, March 30). Dengarlah derita Penguasa Bas Sekolah. Harian Metro. https://www.hmetro.com.my/mutakhir/2023/03/951382/dengarlah-derita-penguasabas-sekolah
  • [3] Ahmad Hasbi. (2023b, May 20). JPJ tahan pemandu “angkut” murid sekolah tanpa permit. Berita Harian. https://www.bharian.com.my/berita/nasional/2023/05/1103666/jpjtahan-pemandu-angkut-muridsekolah-tanpa-permit
  • [4] Augustin, R. and Wong, R. (2014) SPAD deregulates school bus fares, New Straits Times. Available at: https://www.nst.com.my/news/2015/09/spadderegulates-school-bus-fares (Accessed: 19 May 2023).
  • [5] Babulal, V. (2023, January 3). APAD, school bus operators to meet transport minister before fare hike. School bus operators to meet Transport Minister before fare hike. https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2023/01/866823/apad-school-bus-operatorsmeet-over-fare-hike-plan
  • [6] BERNAMA. (2022, January 10). School reopening: Facing difficulties, bus operators urge govt to intervene. https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2022/01/10/schoolreopening-facing-difficultiesbus-operators-urge-govt-tointervene/2034194
  • [7] Farid Wahab. (2022, August 4). More families ditch school bus service to cut cost. The Star. https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news/2022/08/05/ more-families-ditch-school-busservice-to-cut-cost
  • [8] Fuad Nizam. (2023, January 3). APAD, school bus operators meet over fare hike plan. New Straits Times. https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2023/01/866823/apadschool-bus-operators-meetover-fare-hike-plan
  • [9] Masturah Suradi, Arif Aiman Asrol, Adnan Ibrahim, Nur Syazwana Mansor, & Haris Fadilah Ahmad. (2023, March 17). Kos persediaan persekolahan anak meningkat, bebankan Golongan B40. Utusan Malaysia. https://www.utusan.com.my/nasional/2023/03/kos-persediaan-persekolahananak-meningkat-bebankangolongan-b40/
  • [10] Mohamed Basyir, & Qistina Sallehuddin. (2023, September 11). Penang LRT project included in 12MP | New Straits Times. Penang LRT project included in 12MP. https://www.nst.com.my/news/government-public-policy/2023/09/953764/penang-lrt-project-included12mp
  • [11] Mohamad Hafiz Yusoff Bakri. (2022, January 9). Pengusaha bas sekolah mengeluh. Utusan Malaysia. https://www.utusan.com.my/nasional/2022/01/pengusahabas-sekolah-mengeluh/
  • [12] Mohd Yunus Yakkub. (2023, May 17). Wanita 60 tahun terdesak jadi pemandu bas sekolah haram. Kosmo Digital. https://www.kosmo.com.my/2023/05/18/wanita-60-tahun-terdesak-jadi-pemandubas-sekolah-haram/
  • [13] Muhammad Afham Ramli. (2023, May 20). Fokus didik ibu bapa elak guna bas, van sekolah haram - JPJ. Sinar Harian. https://www.sinarharian.com.my/article/259403/berita/semasa/fokus-didik-ibu-bapa-elak-gunabas-van-sekolah-haram---jpj
  • [14] Muhammad Tasnim Abd Halim. (2022, December 30). School Bus Group explains monthly fare reaching RM300 Next Year. Malaysiakini. https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/649887
  • [15] Nation. (2022, January 12). Group warns of more illegal school bus drivers. The Star. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2022/01/12/group-warnsof-more-illegal-school-bus-drivers
  • [16] Nazarudin Shahari. (2023, March 15). Pengusaha Bas sekolah minta pemeriksaan di puspakom hanya Sekali Setahun. Utusan Malaysia. https://www.utusan.com.my/berita/2023/03/pihak-bas-sekolah-minta-pemeriksaan-dipuspakom-hanya-sekali-setahun/
  • [17] Nurfardlina Izzati Moktar. (2022, December 2). Kementerian perlu bertindak isu tambang bas sekolah. Sinar Harian. https://www.sinarharian.com.my/article/234366/berita/semasa/kementerian-perlu-bertindak-isu-tambang-bas-sekolah
  • [18] Nurulhuda Jamaluddin, Sharifah Allyana Syed Mohamed Rahim, Nur Zarifah Haron, Azzuhana Roslan, Akmalia Shabadin, Muhammad Marizwan Abdul Manan, & Khairil Anwar Abu Kassim. (2020). (rep.). Determination of the Exposure and Travel Mode to School (pp. 1–27). Kajang, Selangor: MIROS.
  • [19] The Star Online. (2023, January 2). Penang gives commuters limitless free bus rides. The Star. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/01/02/penang-gives-commuters-limitless-free-bus-rides
Nischal Ranjinath Muniandy

writes about urban and transportation policy, with a focus on sustainability and accessibility. When not looking at maps of cities or writing about cities, he's usually designing them on Cities: Skylines.

Previous Article Back to Issue Next Article
Advertisement

Trending Now

A Red-light District Worthy of a Vibrant Port

Anecdotal Accounts of Chinese Women Migrants to Southeast Asia

The Japanese Conquest of Penang: Part One

The British-Siamese Boundary Stone: A Momentous Relic in Seberang Perai

A Brief History of 123 Macalister

Subscribe today to access over 2,000 articles in our e-Archive for RM150 a year, and get the 2nd year free.
Support Us

As Penang Monthly continues to evolve, we aim to deliver better quality reads. At present, our three current issues are free for public access. But we need your financial support as we endeavour to be the voice of Penang and an inspiring read for the curious Malaysian.

Every RM100 contribution from individuals (or RM1,000 for corporations) will be entitled to tax exemption receipt.
`