Measures to Minimise Significant Differences in School Bus Fees Across Mainstream Schools

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Education (a) what measures are in place to minimise significant differences in school bus fees across mainstream schools; (b) whether the Ministry provides a standardised evaluation framework for awarding or extending school bus service contracts which also addresses fee disparities; and (c) how transparency and affordability for parents are safeguarded regarding school bus fee structures and variations between schools.

Mr Desmond Lee: Primary schools appoint their respective school bus operators through a competitive bidding process. The Ministry of Education (MOE) provides all primary schools with a common set of evaluation considerations for the school bus service contracts. Schools assess operators' proposed maximum fares alongside non-price factors, such as operators' track record and fleet capacity, and their ability to fulfil the school's requirements.

MOE has a range of measures to help reduce operators’ costs. These include exemption from Certificate of Entitlement requirements for school buses, a 50% road tax rebate for eligible operators, and additional foreign worker quotas to support the recruitment of drivers. However, school bus fares may vary due to route distance, vehicle capacity and ridership, among other factors.

For transparency, schools publish the appointed operator's maximum fares for different distance ranges. In addition, financial assistance is provided to primary school students from lower-income households who are taking school bus services.