Dubai's biggest school bus operator announces increase in transport fees

Dubai - The news comes less than a week after schools were allowed to hike fees.

Less than a week after schools in Dubai were given the nod to increase tuition fees from between 2.4 and 4.8 per cent, parents have yet again been left feeling the pinch as Dubai's biggest school bus operator has just announced an increase in transport fees.
Operating in 42 schools across Dubai (and 65 schools across the UAE), School Transport Services (STS) - which transports more than 70,000 students every day on 1,400 school buses in Dubai - has hiked its monthly bus fees by Dh30.
In a circular distributed to parents of the affected schools in January, it stated: "...in order to meet the increased regulatory requisites we are required to increase the transport fees by AED 30/- per month effective 1^st April 2017."
Speaking to Khaleej Times on Sunday, Colonel (Retd.) M. L. Augustine, managing director of STS said the decision was made to increase the fees with "some hesitancy".
"We never want to hike fees, but we have reached a point where heavy investment in safety features on our school buses has required us to do so."
He said in "large part" the increase has been implemented due to "steeper operational costs".
"In 2014, the 14-seater vans we used were moved out of operation which meant we had to replace many of our buses with 24-seat vehicles, despite the number of students registered remaining the same."
But although the news has been received with some reservations from parents due to the monetary impact, most agree that STS operate a good service that they will continue to pay for.
Speaking to Khaleej Times, father-of-two, Amit S. said he received the circular last month.
"Yes, this may be a miniscule hike, but it is still a hike. Considering the financial constraints on many people nowadays, it does create a burden."
But he said his views regarding the hike has no reflection on the service the company operates.
"I pay around Dh450 month for the school bus and I have to say it operates a good service where my son is concerned."
And mother-of-two, Kubra Wajid, also remained positive.
"The last hike by STS was back in 2014 so I think this increase is justifiable."
With two children travelling from Muhaisnah 4 in Dubai to The Kindergarten Starters (KGS) school in Garhoud five days a week, Wajid currently pays Dh360 per child, each month.
But she said she does not mind handing over another Dh70 per month (Dh35 per child) because the vendor has incorporated a lot of technology into its vehicles.
"They have cameras inside the buses and the quality has never gone down in all the years we have been using them. That offers peace of mind for parents," she said.
According to the STS circular, the company hosts a "state-of-the-art Control Room which monitors the movement of all buses" - which covers a combined distance of 56 million kilometres per annum - as well as an STS mobile application, which gives parents the convenience of tracking the location of the students travelling in the buses. Kelly@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai