Nagpur: The impact of rising fuel prices will now have a direct effect on overall education costs, because van schools and buses can increase a minimum cost of 50% to survive.
The price of fuel that continues to increase, combined with reduced seating capacity due to covid restrictions and other overhead, has placed transporter in a financially challenging place.
Santosh Jog, President of the Association of School Bus and staff owners, said “Surely, the increase in transportation costs must be at least 50%, otherwise we will not be able to operate.” When the school bus closes the operation in Nagpur, because of the second wave lock, the diesel price floated around RS70.
Now, prices have violated the RS100 mark and slowly heading up.
And keep the price fixed for a year, which is always a practice, similar to taking risks.
Jog said, “The increase in transportation costs implemented in October may have been obsolete in January because the price of fuel tends to rise.” After reopening in the same calendar year, school buses have witnessed fuel prices up more than 40% in just a few months.
Therefore their doubts to improve transportation costs for the entire academic year.
Another factor that will lead to increased costs is the seating capacity.
Jog said, “We operate at a 50% seating capacity which means our income has been cut in half.
So, income fell 50%, fuel prices increased by more than 40% and the lack of trained workforce was a problem of compounding for us.” For parents who relies on van school, the problem remains the same.
Afsar Khan, the President of the Vans School owner’s association said, “Some of our vans walk on gasoline, while others in Diesel.
Gasoline is now more than RS110, so you can imagine transportation costs for us.
There is no other choice but to climb transportation charges around 50% Because now we are only allowed by five students per vehicle.
“If all this is not enough, both vans and buses have other fees they call ‘restart fees’.
Jog said, “For 1.5 years now, 90% of our vehicles have stationery.
To bring them back to the road, we see Rs 1 lakh per bus.
This fee includes full service, replacement parts if needed, payment of insurance premiums, tax And RTO costs.
“Association hesitant to immediately implement a temporary increase in two associations – the associations of school bus owners and staff and associations of school owners – said the steep cost increase cannot be avoided, there seems to be doubts to immediately implement it.
A van school owner said, “What opportunities for parents agree to a 50% increase in transportation costs? Because online classes still occur, they prefer to stay at home.
Costs must be done gradually in a way that will mean the initial loss but in the hope that every month It will get better.
“The association felt that after Diwali, restrictions might subside.
Khan said, “We may be allowed to operate at full capacity so as to increase our income.
So the increase in transportation costs will occur, it’s just a question whether it happens before or after Diwali.”