Hike in school bus fee leaves parents fuming

CHANDIGARH: Already burdened by the school fee hike, the bus fee hike has landed parents in a fix. Hiking bus fares by 10% to 15%, private bus operators in the city have included Rs 500 as bus insurance charges in the fare structure. Bus owners attributed the hike to rising fuel prices, increased insurance charges and increased taxes.
"Insurance charges have been increased by 16% to 17%, fuel has become costlier, therefore, we have added Rs 500 to the first quarter charges on account of bus insurance charges payable annually for all students using the school bus.Where are we supposed to pay all these increased charges from? Moreover, diesel has become costlier. The increase is an annual feature, it's just that this time we have hiked fares by 10% to 15%," said Manjit Singh, member of the Chandigarh School Bus Operator Welfare Association.
Earlier, bus operators postponed the hike due to a pending court case in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. With everyone offering justifications, parents can do little more than accept things, even though they have not been kept in the loop. "Because of high prices we opt for taxies and rickshaws but that does not seem like a safe option in the wake of the Mohali accident," said Sumeeta Sharma, a resident of Sector 16, Panchkula.
"Schools should get their own buses so that we do not have to face such hikes every year," said Ashish Negi, father of two school going children in Sector 27. Till last year, the hike used to be 5% to 10% but this time the burden has been increased.