Warning against operating rundown buses, vans
KANGAR: Stern action will be taken against those who continue to operate rundown school buses or vans that fail to meet the standards set by the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).
Its chairman,Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said they will no longer compromise with such operators because they could endanger the lives of schoolchildren.
He said school bus and van operators must pass the Puspakom inspection if they want to continue to operate.
He refused to state the kind of action SPAD will take against operators who refuse to comply with the regulations.
"We have compromised and have given operators who continue to use buses or vans that are still operable a lot of leeway although they are more than ten years old.
"The most important issue is that all bus and van operators must apply for permits. If they refuse or do not have a permit, action will be taken against them," Syed Hamid said at the handing over ceremony of 27 new MyBas and also a service and maintenance contract.
He urged school bus and van operators to apply for permits because the procedure to apply for permits is very simple.
SPAD had stated that by 2014 some 2,000 school bus operators nationwide will be forced to scrap buses that are more than 30 years.
Based on the SPAD's records, there were about 17,000 registered school bus operators nationwide, of which some 2,000 were using vehicles that were at least 30 years old.
Syed Hamid had said the ruling on school buses was in line with measures adopted by countries such as the United States, where such vehicles above 15 years old were not allowed to operate.
He had said to assist school bus operators the government had launched a scheme offering bus purchase loans of up to RM250,000 with a nine-year tenure from Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN).
Throughout the duration of the scheme from January 2013 until end of 2014, 1,982 applications were sent to SPAD by 1,990 operators. They wanted to replace 892 long buses, 694 midi buses and 396 school vans.
BSN has approved 201 loans out of only 233 applications, with 20 applications rejected due to bankruptcy status
The two-year replacement exercise was targeted for the 2,885 operators with ageing buses to take up a share of the RM200 million soft loan, for which they would only need to pay 2% interest.
The Finance Ministry also allocated RM10 million to provide rebates of RM10,000 as incentive for down payment and a subsidy for the 2% interest.