Mixed views from parents, school bus operators on MOE move to encourage common pick-up points for students
SINGAPORE — A measure designed to help ease a school bus driver shortage by encouraging bus operators to use common pick-up and drop-off points for students has drawn a mixed reaction, with some parents citing young children's safety as their prime concern.

A file photograph of school buses.
- School bus operators and parents have mixed reactions to a move that encourages bus operators to designate common pick-up and drop-off points for school children
- Some parents said the convenience and safety factors were their prime concerns
- Others said that their bus operators already practise this system, and so the move would not affect them
- They spoke to TODAY after revisions announced by the Ministry of Education designed to ease the manpower shortage in the school bus industry
SINGAPORE — A measure designed to help ease a school bus driver shortage by encouraging bus operators to use common pick-up and drop-off points for students has drawn a mixed reaction, with some parents citing young children's safety as their prime concern.
School bus operators said that while it is a good idea in theory, in practice, they are not sure if parents will take up to the idea, which would mean drivers could serve more students on each route in larger capacity buses.
Some parents also said that their school bus operators already use a common pick-up point and that the measure will not make a difference to them.The operators and parents were speaking to TODAY after revisions announced by the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Monday (June 12) to ease the manpower shortage in the school bus industry.
Under the MOE measures, eligible operators will also get additional foreign worker quotas to help tackle their driver shortages.
The increase in the foreign manpower quotas were welcomed by bus operators, though they said that any changes to their bus operations may have to wait till next year, as the tenders and routes have already been nailed down for all of this year.
The issue of school bus driver shortages came under the spotlight last month, with parents lamenting that there have been higher school bus fares and longer travel times for their children.
MIXED TAKE ON COMMON PICK-UP POINTS
Mr Leo Baiming, managing director of transport operator DKJ Transport, said that the push to implement common pick-up and drop-off points for students is a good one in theory.
"The pick-up times will be better if the parents agree to it, as it can save about 15 minutes," he said, noting that his fleet of buses need not travel as far or deep into certain estates if this approach were adopted.
However, he believes that most parents who are used to having the bus pick their child up at their residential block or doorstep may not be amenable to this idea.
"I believe if the parents hear about this idea, they won’t agree to it, unless they are living a few blocks within each other," he said.
"The pick-up point might be far away, and what if it's raining? There are a lot of considerations."
Agreeing, some parents said that they fear for the safety of their child, especially if they are younger and may not be as experienced with crossing roads early in the morning.
Mr Maran G Krishnan, 51, said that a common pick-up point would be difficult in private estates, such as the condominium where he lives.
The digital and marketing communications director, who has a nine-year-old son and an 11-year-old daughter, said that a common pick-up point may not work in his estate, as there are not many other students living nearby.
"At private estate, it’s difficult to gather at one point, especially if the bus doesn’t want to block the main roads, while children are getting in the buses," he said.
Ms Esther Wong, 40, who works in an enrichment centre, said that while she is fine with her 11-year-old son going to a common pick-up point, she is concerned for younger children.
"Common pick up points may require a Primary 1 or 2 student to cross a road or need walk some distance away from the drop-off points," she said.
"It might be unsafe for them as cars or bigger vehicles may not spot them due to their small size."
“Common pick up points may require a Primary 1 or 2 student to cross a road or need walk some distance away from the drop-off points. It might be unsafe for them as cars or bigger vehicles may not spot them due to their small size.Parent Esther Wong, 40”
However, other parents that TODAY spoke to said that their bus operators have already implemented a common pick-up point system at their own initiative.
Mr Sunil Sabnani, with an eight-year-old daughter who takes the school bus, said that the girl goes to a common drop-off point, but it is one that already happens to be at his block.
The 50-year-old public servant added that if more people opted for common pick-up points, then there would be less waiting time for everyone.
"With fewer individual pick-ups, this will likely result in the bus driver coming later in the morning to pick up the common (pick-up point) group," he said.
EXTRA FOREIGN MANPOWER QUOTA WELCOME, BUT CHANGES MAY NOT COME SO SOON
Bus operator bosses said that they look forward to the new foreign manpower quotas, with some having already reached out to apply for the new measures.
One such bus operator is Sky Island Transport & Trading. Its spokesperson said that the firm has already reached out to MOE to find out more about the new measures, and is waiting to hear back.
"It might potentially help to alleviate (manpower shortages), but it really boils down to the details that have yet to be revealed, such as the lead time for application, the prerequisites for application, for example," the spokesperson said.
One such prerequisite revealed by MOE is that eligible bus operators looking to benefit from the increased manpower quota will need to have contracts with at least two MOE schools.
Sky Island said that it has contracts with four MOE primary schools, and that is hoping that the measures can boost their driver workforce by 10 per cent.
However, operators said that changes in their operations may not come so soon, given that the tenders and routes are commonly revised only at the end of the school year.
Mr Leo from DKJ Transport said that while he is looking to apply for the measures by the end of June, he does not see any way to make changes to his routes or rates, as the routes and fees have already been settled for the entire school year.
Owing to the manpower shortage, he had already merged 30 per cent of his bus routes.
"We are getting ready for next year's tenders, because for this year, everything has already normalised," he said. "After this June holidays, our company also can't get any new tenders."