School Van and Auto Fares to Increase by ₹50 to ₹200 in Jamshedpur From July

Jamshedpur: Parents who send their children to school by school vans and auto-rickshaws may have to bear additional expenses starting next month. Citing rising petrol and diesel prices along with escalating vehicle operational costs, school vehicle operators have begun preparing to hike monthly fares by ₹50 to ₹200 starting this July.

An upcoming meeting will formally approve the proposal. According to committee officials, they will organize a meeting soon to finalize the new fares for various routes.

Under the proposed hike, monthly fees will increase between ₹50 and ₹200 based on distance and route. The new rates will likely take effect in July.

Several drivers have already started giving preliminary information regarding this hike to parents. Van operators point out that fuel prices, spare parts, tires, engine oil, vehicle fitness fees, and insurance charges have continuously risen over the past few years.

Consequently, operating vehicles at the old rates has become financially unsustainable. They argue that rising expenses have severely impacted their livelihoods, making a fare hike an absolute necessity.

Growing Concerns Among Parents

Conversely, this decision has heightened anxieties among parents. They highlight that the new academic session has already burdened them with increased re-admission fees, as well as higher costs for books and notebooks.

A further increase in school transport fees will now exert additional pressure on their monthly budgets.

Santosh Mandal, President of the Jamshedpur School Vehicle Service Operators Committee, stated that rising costs have made the fare hike inevitable. He added that the committee will announce the route-wise new rates right after the meeting.

Expected Monthly Fare Increase

The table below outlines the tentative fare hikes across major routes:

“Continuous hikes in fuel prices and overall vehicle maintenance costs leave us with no choice but to increase fares. The new rates will apply from next month. Fares will definitely increase by a minimum of ₹50 and a maximum of ₹200 depending on the route.”

— Santosh Mandal, President, Jamshedpur School Vehicle Service Operators Committee