Concern over the rising cost of fuel and its impact on school transport is growing, as clarification on Government supports for school bus contractors has yet to be provided, only days before schools across the country start back for a new academic year. The Department of Transport has allocated almost €7m in supports for school transport costs, amid the ongoing crisis in the Middle East which has seen the price of diesel fluctuate wildly in recent weeks.

With diesel inching towards the €2/litre mark, and expected to surpass it on 1 September when a 10 cent increase takes effect, rural school bus contractors claim they will be forced off the road if urgent, transparent action isn’t taken.

The School Transport Scheme is managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth, through which the procurement tender process and contract management arrangements are dealt with. This includes services provided by contractors under the School Transport Scheme.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education and Youth has confirmed to Irish Country Living that financial support is being provided to school bus contractors.

Support package

However, those operating school bus routes claim that with no detail of increased payments forthcoming in advance of the resumption of school services, they remain fearful of the weeks and months ahead.

“The Department of Education and Youth fully recognise the essential role played by the School Transport Operators, in facilitating transport to and from school for over 181,000 children and young people nationally, which includes the provision of transport for over 24,000 children with additional needs,” says the department’s spokesperson.

“A support package of measures aimed at easing the rising cost of fuel across relevant sectors was approved by Cabinet earlier this year. The Road Transporters Support Scheme which comes under the remit of the Department of Transport provided targeted relief to transport operators including school transport operators. Additionally, Government also approved fuel contract variation payments to be made to operators of TFI Local Link and School Transport Scheme services.

“The €6.9m package of support for school transport services will be facilitated by Bus Éireann. These support mechanisms will be administered through contractual arrangements. Operators do not need to make an application for those vehicles in their fleets through the RTSS.

“Bus Éireann has written to contractors to advise that appropriate and flexible supports will be provided to school transport operators over the coming weeks.”

No contractor I know has been told what they’re getting under these supports, there is no breakdown of what we are entitled to per vehicle or per run. Almost a third of my fleet are school buses, but I won’t be getting any support with the other buses I have on the road

However, Irish Country Living understands the detail of increased payments has not yet been provided to the majority of school bus contractors with only days to go before school bus services resume.

One bus contractor based in the west, who did not want to be named for the security of his contract, said school children could be left on the side of the road unless there is greater transparency with support payments.

“I’m one year into a five-year contract and the price of diesel is a lot higher now than 12 months ago but I have no choice but to absorb the cost,” he explains.

“No contractor I know has been told what they’re getting under these supports, there is no breakdown of what we are entitled to per vehicle or per run. Almost a third of my fleet are school buses, but I won’t be getting any support with the other buses I have on the road.

Working for nothing

“Lads are out there working for nothing. Once they’ve paid their costs and their drivers, there is nothing left. All they have to go on is the hope that things will turn around.

“But if things continue the way they are – I heard them saying on the radio that diesel will reach €2.25/litre by the end of the year – there’s going to be a lot of school children left at home.

“Three months ago a fill of diesel for one of my coaches was €500, now it’s costing between €720 and €740. The coaches are the main vehicles for school runs so we need to know if these higher costs will be covered by the subsidies.

“We have no bargaining chip when it comes to Bus Éireann. When I first started out 20 years ago I could go into my regional office and negotiate in person. You’d need to be working in NASA to figure out the online systems they use now.

“We are told if we don’t fulfil the terms of our contracts, they’ll be taken from us. But how can we fulfil a contract where the price of fuel keeps rising and there’s no movement from Bus Éireann, who will happily retender a contract if you give it up?

“I have 18 employees and 80% of our business is school transport. The stress of the past few months has taken a toll on my health and there’s many a night I’ve lay awake wondering if I’ll have enough in the bank account to get us to the end of the month. It’s no way to live and I know I’m not alone in feeling like this. The small self-employed businessman is getting hit all the time.”

With a 10 cent/litre price increase due to take effect from 1 September, the bus contractor says it is all pointing to disruption for families who rely on school buses to transport their children.

“The new academic year starts for us on 25 August, but we won’t receive any payment for 10 days so all costs have to be paid up front. Then once that payment comes, which we still don’t know what it will amount to, we’ll have to wait another 30 days for our next payment,” he adds.

“We are heading into uncharted water and with diesel our biggest expense, we need to know our costs will be covered if we are to sustain viable routes.

Wicklow-Wexford Fine Gael TD Brian Brennan says the devil will be in the detail when it comes to how school bus contractors are supported.

“I have been contacted by many bus contractors throughout my constituency which is very rural, who are all struggling, their mid line is being hammered.

“I have tried to reassure my constituents that the approved package by Government will provide the support that is needed but the devil is in the detail and we need to be told what this financial support package will provide in terms of targeted measures.

“The only certainty right now is the uncertainty of the global situation which is changing by the day. But I am confident we will provide the support that is needed. We dealt with the fuel crisis earlier this year by lifting the excise duty, so now it is time for bus operators to be supported.”

A statement issued to Irish Country Living by Bus Éireann said it was implementing policy and guidelines set down by the Department of Education and Youth when it came to the school transport scheme.

“The Government approved a fuel support package for school transport contractors, which was administered by the Department of Transport for the wider transport sector,” the spokesperson says.

“Following approval from the relevant departments, Bus Éireann issued communication to contractors confirming payment of the fuel allowance for March, April and May as approved. Payments were issued in line with the normal contractor payment schedule in Period 7.

“Contractors with individual queries were advised to contact their local Bus Éireann office.”

The school bus contractor who spoke to Irish Country Living acknowledged increased payments for March to May but said the money was not paid until July.

“We are being left to carry the can in that this increased payment did come, but it took months to get it and when it did arrive there was no breakdown of the increased rate,” he explains.

“Does this mean we have to wait until the end of the year to get the financial support the Government says it is giving us? The price of fuel is going to rise regardless, and while the top-up payments are very welcome and badly needed, we need to know we will be covered for as long as this crisis continues.”