joanne_soh:

Hi All,


... so in short isnt this maximising their income at the expenses of our kids? where they can slp more at home? anyone facing same issue? maybe we can bring up to principal

It is maximising their income at the expense of the kids. Some of us are planning a collective feedback. PM me if you'd like to be part of it.

ctmy:

I am not sure whether changing operator every year is a good thing. Viewing it from another angle, if it is good, why change?

I have confirmed with my spouse that the bus driver fetching my child is the same as per last year. When we called up the bus operator to enquire, we were asked to speak to the driver directly, probably reinforcing the belief that how much you pay depends on which driver u are assigned to.

The Hockminatrix: It will be good if I can pay 60% to 70% for 1 way. I paid $130 for one way last year as compared to $140 for 2 way (around 93%). However, judging from the situation, I think it would be rather difficult to achieve.

Count me in for the feedback. Like what u said, whether the situation will change or not, we do not know but at least we tried.

Hi ctmy,

I agree frequent change may not be a good thing - it's disruptive, and everyone has to go through learning curve all over again. But everything has both good and bad, and benefit of that is that it's supposed to keep the vendor bidding process \"competitive\" and ensure current vendors perform.

However, if like you (or someone else) mentioned before, the vendor \"change\" is in name only while everything else remains the same, then the bidding process (if there was one ... and there should have been especially for vendor changes since that's civil service protocol for procurement) seems like nothing but a farce.

$130 vs $140 is ridiculous. Providers will tell us it's industry practice ... but as you may have seen from some of the prices I got for comparison ... in reality it's highly dependent upon individual providers. So why is it OK for our provider to be inflexible? And if they don't hear customer feedback, then they will assume (rightly) that all is dandy.

I'll PM you shortly about the feedback.

Hi parents,


Here are some real transport quotes I’ve heard from contacts and other parents (can’t name schools tho sorry):

1. Buangkok to Upper Serangoon: 2-way $110
2. Guillimard to Punggol: 2-way $180
3. Teban to Yew Tee: 1-way $80
4. Potong Pasir to Sengkang: 2-way $110

lovekids22:

I realised that usually after school if I ask him 'So, how's school today, what did you do in school?' Chances are I will not get anything out of him. Guess these phases seems to feel authoritative to little kids. Ha!! Only after showering, he will share with me but in little snippets about what they did.
One day, he told me 'Mum, I flew up to the amazing level today, i was puzzled only to realise that it is a behavioural encouragement chart using I think birds or planes to represent them.' From all these little little things, I have to say that it is indeed reassuring to know that the school is focusing on Character development - And it is also one of the reasons why I put him in this school because during the open house,the Principal placed importance in Character Development.

Hope this helps!
Lovekids22

My goodness ... your boy and mine are the same ... super, duper stingy on details. When I ask mine what he did in school, he tells me \"Nothing\". I'll only get the story after asking specific things such as the new groups they're in, or what his drawings are for.

The 1B mummies are a godsent - thank you ladies!

Hi friends,


Glad to see a conversation going around the transport provider. Feedback from different parties help give better perspective.

Roselineong: Our kids are sharing the same van. For the money I’m paying, I was quite taken aback when I first saw it too. I suppose it’s "cosy" … but when I put this in perspective, I don’t think the van is worth the $8 per ride I’m paying for it.

ctmy: Thanks for the background. I guess it’s a "good thing" that the vendors are "refreshed" every year - supposed to keep them on their toes? But if what you say is true (current ops keeping same charges, leasing out to former ops), then at end day it’s just right hand feeding left hand and no difference.

For me personally, I don’t think I would have as big an issue as I currently do with the full amount if I was only given the flexibility of a tiered charging scheme for one-way. I wouldn’t even mind having to pay 60% or 70% … as long as it’s not the ridiculous full amount for HALF the work!

I don’t mind giving feedback to the school. Not sure whether the situation will change but at least we tried.

How many parents would like to start a feedback loop about this please? We can submit a collective feedback if we have a minimum number.

Add yourself below. If the list reaches 4 names by Friday, I’ll PM the group and we can jumpstart the process.

Transport feedback to school:
1. TheHockminatrix

ctmy:

shirleykek:

Hi my son is in 3 Aristotle and gal in 1 Hillary. I find the pricing of the transport does not make sense to me. I was paying only 120 one way for my son last year from school to Punggol. I received the payment card asking for payment of 180. Two children will cost 360. Even though we are paying for 10month it still work out to be 150 per month this is 25% increase. may i check how much are you paying for the bus fee?

Personally I feel that the fees are expensive. My neighbor who studies in Compassvale area pays only $80 for big bus. Even though now they charge only 10 months but the monthly rate has been jacked up. So its like change the soup but not the medicine. The school has said that we will not be worst off but it seems that this is not the case for me at least.

BTW I am paying $168(for 10 months) for 1 way from school to student care in Hougang central area.

Me too: $168 for one-way. Am at Buangkok Crescent.

Starting to wonder how the school appoints their transport vendor. What are they measured on? How do they determine their prices? And is any agency regulating this sector?

Was just discussing this with a GF over lunch today and she was \"kind\" enough to put this into perspective for me: the \"suay\" sector families must prepare to spend $1,680 per child this year on school transport alone.

And barely 6 months ago, I was deluded enough to \"dream\" I can budget $80 for school transport ... LOL

Sorry peeps, don't mean to be making a bigger deal about this than usual ... but the idea is making me more and more uncomfortable. Why do we not have a choice?

cyranocrash & lovekids22,


Thanks for your insights on the school transport arrangements. Still trying to get used to the whole ecosystem of primary school education in Singapore. Don't like feeling as if being held \"hostage\" (altho truth is everything also \"hostage\" lah in Singapore =P).

I hadn't realised it was only going to be $10-20 difference for one-way arrangements. That IS ridiculous. I know at the end of the day transport ops are still plying the same route, but practise persist because customers too tired to fight it, I guess. Like me lor.

Nevertheless, even though we're effectively paying DOUBLE the price for our boy's rides home (two-way = $4 per ride per day, ergo one-way = $8 prpd!), still made the conscious choice to personally send him in the mornings so he gets an additional half hour of sleep :snooze: and we get to spend the 1.5 hours together in the mornings.

Not ideal, but as ideal as it can be for now

How's everyone doing?

ilovechocolates: Drone demo - how exciting! When was this (during the day) if you don't mind me asking? Obviously didn't register with my boy because he hasn't talked about it!

TheHockminatrix:

Btw peeps, sorry if this QN has been answered before ... Is it true that school buses will cost the same whether one-way or two?


This was what we were told (by the bus op). When we signed up, we were asked which we needed. If the price was the same regardless, why bother to ask? Should just be default two-way.

We asked around our contacts and was told that this is not usual practise.

Appreciate additional insights. Thanks.

Clarified at general office (and courtesy of two other parents there) - yes, same charge whether 1 or 2-way. Which I disagree with but will wait and see if other options appear.

Btw peeps, sorry if this QN has been answered before … Is it true that school buses will cost the same whether one-way or two?


This was what we were told (by the bus op). When we signed up, we were asked which we needed. If the price was the same regardless, why bother to ask? Should just be default two-way.

We asked around our contacts and was told that this is not usual practise.

Appreciate additional insights. Thanks.

cyranocrash:

:scratchhead: Dunno how to answer.. coz my advise will be..... don't peek lah.. don't disturb your child in class lah.. first day is the most crucial day for them to make friends etc.. once they see their parents.. they will lose the momentum.. hehehehehe

Hahahah ... Wish classrooms had webcams that we can log into remotely. Then can peek without distracting them