School Bus Owners in Maharashtra Seek 18% Fee Increase, Urge Ban on Illegal Transport”

School Bus Owners in Maharashtra Seek 18% Fee Increase, Urge Ban on Illegal Transport"

School Bus Owners in Maharashtra Seek 18% Fee Increase, Urge Ban on Illegal Transport"

Share This News

The School Bus Owners’ Association has announced an 18% hike in bus fees for the upcoming academic year, starting April 1, citing rising operational costs. However, the association has stated that this increase is conditional—if the government takes strict action against unauthorized school transport services, they may reconsider the hike.

Anil Garg, president of the association, emphasized, “If the government enforces a complete ban on illegal school transport, we will review our decision on the fare increase.” The move follows the Maharashtra government’s recent 14.95% fare hike for state-run buses, further escalating transportation costs.

Garg highlighted multiple factors driving the fee increase, including rising prices of buses and spare parts, increased maintenance costs due to ongoing roadwork, and higher wages for drivers and staff. The mandatory installation of safety equipment like GPS and CCTV cameras has also added to expenses. Additionally, a sharp rise in parking charges and RTO penalties has further burdened operators.

Bus operators argue that these financial pressures make the fare revision necessary to maintain safe and efficient student transport. However, they insist that cracking down on unauthorized transport services is essential to ensure safety and fair competition.

Blis1
IMG-20250103-WA0015
IMG-20250103-WA0015