Make Association Membership Mandatory For Operator License Applications - Bus Drivers' Coalition

KULAI, July 8 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian School Bus Operators and Drivers Coalition has urged the government to mandate association membership as a requirement for operator license applications to safeguard the safety of students who rely on over 7,000 school bus operators who are not registered with any bus drivers' association.

Its president, Dr M Muruga said that currently, those who want to operate a school bus only need to register with the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) via the Commercial Vehicle Licensing System ( iSPKP), a method he believes should be reviewed, as approval does not take into account the applicant's experience or record.

“The situation is like a ticking time bomb in terms of road safety, especially for students…  as associations are crucial in enhancing operators' awareness of safety issues.

"We're not just a registered association. We offer free safety briefings, maintenance workshops, and work with JPJ and Puspakom. But when we call for a meeting, only 40 people show up, even though we invite hundreds," he told Bernama today, adding that many operators were hesitant to register despite the annual membership fee being only RM40.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were nearly 18,000 school bus operators in Malaysia, but after the enforcement of the ban on buses older than 30 years, the number dropped to around 12,000 and of these, only 60 per cent are registered with their respective associations.

Unofficial statistics show that over 85 per cent of current operators consist of senior citizens and single mothers, especially in states like Sabah and Sarawak, said Muruga, 70, who still drives a school bus with his wife to a plantation school here after more than 30 years.

On yesterday’s crash involving a school van carrying 22 students on the North-South Expressway near the Bandar Dato Onn northbound exit, Muruga pointed out that such vans were typically suitable for carrying a maximum of 18 primary school children or 12 adults.

"The permitted capacity was exceeded. That's a serious offence. Fortunately, no fatal accident occurred, but if something had, who would be held responsible?" he said.

-- BERNAMA