KUCHING (Jan 10): Many associations and operators have raised serious concerns over the growing number of unlicensed school buses on the road.
They brought this up during a briefing with the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) Sarawak on Thursday.
“This is a deeply worrying issue, as unlicensed school buses do not have valid insurance coverage in the event of an accident,” said CVLB Sarawak chairman Michael Kong in a post-briefing statement.
The briefing with school bus associations and operators from across Sarawak, including those in Kuching, Samarahan, Sibu and Miri, aimed to discuss new policies that would impact the school bus industry.
According to Kong, any private hire insurance would be rendered void whenever a vehicle operates without a valid permit from CVLB Sarawak.
“This exposes students and parents to significant risks,” he pointed out.
In light of this, he said CVLB Sarawak had sought the cooperation of school bus associations and operators to help raise awareness among schools.
“It is hoped that this important message can be effectively conveyed to parents.
“Parents place immense trust in school bus services when they entrust their children’s safety to them, and it is crucial that only school buses duly licensed by CVLB Sarawak are used and endorsed by schools,” he added.
Moving forward, Kong said CVLB Sarawak would also engage with the state Education Department to seek its assistance in strengthening outreach and communication with all schools.
He believed that this would help emphasise the importance of engaging only licensed school bus operators.
“The safety of our children remains our top priority, and CVLB Sarawak will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to ensure that school transport services in Sarawak are safe, regulated and accountable,” he said.
“This is in line with CVLB Sarawak having implemented updated policies for lorries, stage buses and employee buses since last November,” he added.
According to Kong, these policy updates form part of CVLB Sarawak’s broader initiative of ensuring that existing regulations remain relevant and aligned with the current needs.
“The extension of these policy reforms to the school bus sector is a natural and necessary next step.
“One of the key changes discussed is the requirement for school bus operators to obtain a support letter from the schools they serve.
“This measure is intended to ensure transparency and fairness in bus fares, so that charges imposed are reasonable and reflect what has been mutually agreed upon by parents, schools and operators,” he added.
Moreover, Kong said ultimately, this policy aimed to protect parents, while promoting accountability within the industry.
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