SEREMBAN, March 20 — The Malaysian School Bus Association Alliance (GPBSM) has called on the government to consider once a year inspection for school bus at the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom).

Its president Mohd Rofik Mohd Yusoff said it is to facilitate school bus operators attend to inspection at Puspakom as the existing online system requires appointment and is quite complicated.

"Before this, school bus could cut the waiting queue to be inspected as they are taking students to school but now the Puspakom system has changed, which is seen as burdening bus operators as the online appointment booking system is sometimes limited.

"When a vehicle enters the inspection process and fails, it must wait for vacancy to book another inspection appointment to resume school bus service,” he said.

Mohd Rofik is also the chairman of the Negeri Sembilan School Bus Operators Association (PPBSNS) said when met by Bernama after the 20th PPBSNS annual general meeting here today.

Therefore, he said one drastic solution on the matter is required to lighten the burden of school bus drivers who depend on the job for their survival.

In this regard, Mohd Rofik is also urging the government to allow school bus permit to be renewed for a period of five years as implemented before compared with only two years now.

He said to ease the bus drivers, the schooling system is expected to return to normal when the nation enters the transition to endemic phase.

"School bus permit could be renewed for five years once but now under the Land Public Transport Agency, renewal is up to maximum of two years,” he said.

Meanwhile, he hoped the school session which would be opened tomorrow would not be postponed and school bus operators can a heave a sigh of relief after school closures following the Covid-19 pandemic. — Bernama