Bus services may grind to a halt when quota runs out

PETALING JAYA: Stage and express buses may stop running in the last week of every month if operators do not receive more subsidised diesel supply under the fleet card system.

Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Ashfar Ali said although the system entitled them to diesel at RM1.43 a litre, supply was not enough.

“The amount we get is enough for about 70% of our operations. Unless we get at least 30% more, we are in trouble,” he told The Star.

Ashfar said operators used to absorb the price difference when the pump price was RM1.58 a litre but could not manage now that the price was increased to RM2.58 yesterday.

“My members are saying that when they run out of the diesel quota, they will stop operating until they receive the quota for the following month,” he said.

Ashfar added that bus companies also faced problems with some oil companies over the fleet card system as the rebate was not given instantly to operators, with some taking up to a month to do it.

Under the fleet card system, operators have the option of having post-paid or pre-paid accounts with oil companies.

On the seat belt ruling for bus passengers, he said operators were willing to absorb the cost of installing the belts but the Government had to provide the belts.

A check at Puduraya bus terminal revealed that some bus companies had raised fares by RM10.

According to a ticket seller who wished to remain anonymous, the company was charging more because of higher costs.

“Fuel prices should be the last thing to be raised. Now we are struggling to get by,” he said.

N. Mahalecumy, 21, a student, was shocked when the bus company she always travelled with increased the fare to Ipoh from RM13 to RM25.

When she refused to pay that price, the bus operator relented and sold her the ticket for RM14.

But there was a catch - she had to wait four hours for her bus to depart.