Express and school buses operators still receive diesel subsidies and have no reason to raises the fares, said the minister.
Tour Bus Fares Might Be Affected by Diesel Price Hike because They’re Not for Daily Use
Express and school bus operators should not raise fares following the implementation of targeted diesel subsidies in the peninsula, Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke stated, according to a report by the Bernama News Agency on 11 June 2024.
He explained that these operators continue receiving subsidies through subsidised diesel fleet cards under the Subsidised Diesel Control System (SKDS).
“They should not raise their bus fares. They are not affected by the increase in diesel prices because school bus and express bus operators are still receiving subsidies. So what reason do they have to raise the fares?” Loke remarked during a press conference after inaugurating the 57th ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting (STOM), as quoted by Bernama.
Loke addressed rumours of a potential fare hike for school, express, and tour buses following the targeted diesel subsidy implementation, which led to a diesel price increase of over 50% starting Monday. He emphasized that express bus fares cannot be arbitrarily increased as they fall under the jurisdiction of the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD).
“As for school buses, we don’t control the prices; we just encourage discussions between school bus operators and Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs),” he said.
Regarding tour bus fares, Loke noted there is no subsidy for the tourism sector since these buses are for tourism purposes and not daily use. “Maybe there will be a slight increase in costs for tourists, but I think it is acceptable for them,” he added.
