School bus fare

[gmommy]

Hi all,


My son just started P1 this year. I just want to find out if it is common practice by bus operators to also charge P1 students Dec 2011 fare in Jan 2012? I mean, he hasn’t even started taking the school bus yet and they are collecting bus fare for that month? Isn’t this being opportunistic?

[MMM]

gmommy:

Hi all,


My son just started P1 this year. I just want to find out if it is common practice by bus operators to also charge P1 students Dec 2011 fare in Jan 2012? I mean, he hasn't even started taking the school bus yet and they are collecting bus fare for that month? Isn't this being opportunistic?

Yes this is like the market practise. I think they collect it outfront as compared to November? so as to avoid people not paying at all.

[gmommy]

MMM, thanks for the reply. So you are saying that it's collecting for Dec 2012 and not Dec 2011?


No wonder parents are not happy with so many fare hikes... :moneyflies:

[MMM]

gmommy:

MMM, thanks for the reply. So you are saying that it's collecting for Dec 2012 and not Dec 2011?


No wonder parents are not happy with so many fare hikes... :moneyflies:

It is collection for December 2012. It is a advance collection.

[Mawar]

gmommy:

MMM, thanks for the reply. So you are saying that it's collecting for Dec 2012 and not Dec 2011?


No wonder parents are not happy with so many fare hikes... :moneyflies:

The bus operators collect Dec 2012 fare in Jan and not in Nov because school closes around mid month. Some parents might decide against taking school bus to save cost. It would be difficult for bus operators to collect Dec fare.

I feel that school children should be encouraged to take school bus. This will lessen the traffic jams along certain stretches of road. So many drive in my kids' school because the fare is on the higher side. The costs is quite a bit especially if they have more than 1 school going child. And we have to fetch on the average twice a week anyway due to CCA etc.

[gmommy]

MMM & Mawar, thanks for the clarifications. I have a clearer picture of the situation now. It’s wonderful to be able to ask questions here.


Mawar, I agree with your point about taking school bus. My purpose for putting my son on the school bus to get him to socialize and not be too sheltered. He is enjoying the ride so far. I will also need to fetch him from school once CCA starts. Otherwise, it’s going to be added cost of $6 per trip for CCA pick-ups.

[schweppes]

gmommy:

Hi all,


My son just started P1 this year. I just want to find out if it is common practice by bus operators to also charge P1 students Dec 2011 fare in Jan 2012? I mean, he hasn't even started taking the school bus yet and they are collecting bus fare for that month? Isn't this being opportunistic?

For some bus operators, they collect June fees in Jan (2 months Jan and June) and in July collect Dec fees as well (2 months July and Dec).

:moneyflies: :moneyflies: :moneyflies: :moneyflies:

:gloomy: :gloomy:

[sunnydays2]

Did you all ask the bus driver about the prices of the school bus? Seems like they can anyhow charge!

[Snow Crystal]

Yes it’s a long-standing common market practice for the bus operators to collect for June and Dec holidays even though they are not fetching our kids in these 2 months. I just pay but I remember that the reason given is that the drivers still have to have some income during the holidays. I guess we can think of it another way - they can just take total 12 months bus fees, divide by 10 and charge us as such. Thus given that the drivers have to make a living and as long as the amount is not exorbitant, I have no problem with paying for the two extra non school months. However, I wish all the buses have bus aunties to ensure safety of the kids, look out for bullying in bus and correct poor behavior.

[jedamum]

Snow Crystal:

Thus given that the drivers have to make a living and as long as the amount is not exorbitant, I have no problem with paying for the two extra non school months. However, I wish all the buses have bus aunties to ensure safety of the kids, look out for bullying in bus and correct poor behavior.

:goodpost:
my boy's presch bus auntie/uncle are so friendly and so nice to see him coming home with smiles on his face having joked with either of them on the way home...not really possible for big buses in pri sch next year i guess. :sad:
kids on sch bus bound to be exposed to some bad behaviour/words; just yesterday, my K2 shared said so-and-so said what-and-what; luckily he said he knows such behaviour is not acceptable.....at home (but dunno if he'll do so on the bus! :faint:)