We Have Discussed School Bus Fees. Let’s Discuss Safety Too

With schools reopening, transport fees have again become a central concern for families. Diyarbakır has set student and employee shuttle fares for the 2026–2027 academic year. With rising fuel, maintenance, and insurance costs, it is clear that fees strain family budgets. This deserves discussion.

But if we discuss school transport only in terms of the price per kilometer, we overlook what happens inside the vehicle our child boards outside the door each morning.

Families naturally look for an affordable option. Yet many items do not appear directly in a vehicle’s quoted fare: regular maintenance, the driver’s experience and rest time, the attendant’s pay, insurance, working seat belts, and a sensibly planned route. If price competition is won by cutting these items, the difference is paid out of the child’s safety.

I do not mean to blame transport operators. They also face rising expenses, employ staff, and carry responsibilities. The solution is a system with transparent costs and verifiable quality, rather than setting families and small businesses against one another.

Rules that should never be compromised

School transport regulations already define certain rules: no standing passengers, no exceeding capacity, use of seat belts, and handing children over only to authorized people. A mandatory check inside the vehicle after children have disembarked must also be included. Tragic incidents involving children left in vehicles have shown how vital this simple check is.

For preschool and primary school children, the attendant’s role is especially important. An attendant should do more than take a register; they should be trained in first aid, know what to do in an emergency, and communicate well with children. A few hectic minutes at the school gate can put both children in the vehicle and others on the road at risk. Schools therefore need simple measures to organize shuttle arrivals and departures.

A parent who notices speeding, faulty belts, or inappropriate behavior by a driver should know where to report it. They should also be told the outcome. Feeling that a complaint disappears into a black hole encourages silence. An accessible reporting line established and publicized by municipalities and the provincial education directorate could close this gap.

Inspections should not be concentrated in the first week of the school year and then ease off. Unannounced checks in October, February, and examination periods would produce more meaningful results.

When paying the transport fee this year, try asking two more questions: do the seat belts work, and has the attendant received first aid training? The answers will show much more clearly what the money we pay actually buys.