Ministry of Education Challenges in smart makeovers for school buses
The idea of having school buses equipped with smart technology is very good, especially if it helps to improve communication between parents and operators, as well as the efficiency of school bus services (School buses to get smart makeovers, Jan 23).

But there are three challenges. One is for the bus operators to keep fares affordable, especially for low-income families. This needs to be addressed carefully as the capital expenditure is not low and the recurrent cost of updating the software is an issue.

Another is the age of the buses. Some can be as old as 20 years. Are the older buses able to accommodate the systems and still safely ferry schoolchildren?

The last challenge would be the bus drivers, many of whom are senior in age. They may struggle to manage the smart systems.

I hope the Ministry of Education will take a proactive role in regulating this initiative, instead of leaving it to the bus associations.

Lim Soon Heng

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/forum/challenges-in-smart-makeovers-for-school-buses

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