'Balik kampung' bus fares may go up 15%

KUALA LUMPUR: A 15% fare increase for Hari Raya “balik kampung” bus travellers is on the cards.
Express bus operators have made a formal application to the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) to impose a “surcharge” for the upcoming festive season.
The bus operators also want SPAD to let them impose a separate 10% fare surcharge after the Hari Raya season should the government disagree with their demand for fare deregulation in the third quarter of the year.
In June 2013, a surcharge of 10% was approved by SPAD for the Hari Raya “balik kampung” ‎exodus, as a compromise to a demand by Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association (PMBOA) for a 30% hike two years ago.
Interestingly, the fare surcharge during Aidilfitri travel period imposed back then was never withdrawn and is still in force, since SPAD took a stand to retain the 10% increase until the new fare rate is determined.
Last month, the bus operators were supposed to enjoy a new fare rate of 11.4 sen per km, 2.1 sen/km more than the current rate of 9.3 sen/km, as announced by SPAD on March 19.
However, in view of the public backlash, the government decided to postpone the fare hike for express bus and rail services until further notice.
When contacted by theSun, PMBOA president Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali confirmed a meeting with SPAD last week requesting for fare deregulation and surcharge for the Hari Raya travel period.
“It is time for bus operators to get a fare hike in view of the high operating costs,” he said. “The public needs to understand that for us to provide the best service, there must be a fare increase as we don’t enjoy subsidies like the stage bus industry.”
He pointed out that the last fare increase was in 2008.
Mohamad Ashfar said with the recent diesel price hike, the minimum wage policy of RM900 for drivers and other costs, the express bus industry has been suffering.
A study by SPAD last year showed that the cost for an express bus service per kilometre was RM2.29.
SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar told theSun that a decision on the fare surcharge would be finalised in the next few days.
He said the commission is also studying the possibility of deregulating express bus fares this year, following the path of the school bus industry.
“Fare deregulation would provide healthy competition to provide the best service to the public. But this still needs approval from the government as it involves public interest,” said Syed Hamid.