Lighter load for school buses

Getting ready: Kee cleaning his school bus in Paya Terubong, George Town. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star

GEORGE TOWN: With the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, school bus drivers are bracing for a drop in the number of passengers when the new school term starts on Jan 20.

Driver Kee Kean Eng, 57, said he was expecting fewer passengers as only a handful of parents had contacted him to make arrangements for their children’s transportation.

“The current pandemic will affect a lot of us as parents are more likely to send their children to school themselves.

“Some parents might not want their children to be in a confined space with others.

“I mostly cater to folks from Ayer Itam up to Green Lane and so far, only a few of my previous passengers have made arrangements with me, ” said Kee, who has been in the industry for over 30 years.

Another driver, Khor Siew Cheah, 58, said she was also expecting a drop in student passengers due to the uncertainty amidst the pandemic.

“This is mostly because parents are unsure about the situation. They are prepared for when schools may close again all of a sudden.

“Last year, there were instances where parents paid for school bus services but schools kept closing and reopening.

“This year, many parents have said they will send their children to school themselves as most of them have flexible working arrangements now, ” Khor added.

Meanwhile, Penang School Bus Association chairman Loh Choon Beng said they could not tell for now if there would be a hike or drop in the number of student passengers.

“We cannot say for sure until school starts because some parents might make arrangements at the last minute, ” he said.

“Many drivers are expecting their regular student passengers to still use the school bus services.

“As for the prices, it depends on the driver and how they calculate the prices based on the distance between the passengers’ house and school.

“As school will start soon, we expect some 300 members within the association to start preparing to go back to work soon, ” he added.