School ferry demand likely to rise amid odd-even policy; parents face mounting costs

As the new academic year approaches, demand for school ferry services is expected to increase due to the implementation of the odd-even vehicle restriction system, placing additional financial pressure on parents, according to reports.

Parents may be forced to rely more on school ferry services instead of private vehicles for daily drop-offs and pick-ups, as the odd-even system restricts vehicle use to alternate days. At the same time, ferry fees have surged significantly, raising concerns about affordability.

Several private and international schools have already announced transportation fees for the upcoming academic year, with notable increases compared to last year. Some parents reported that monthly ferry fees, which previously ranged around 180,000 to 190,000 kyats, have now risen to between 250,000 and 350,000 kyats.

“With fees jumping from around 180,000 to 350,000 kyats, we may have no choice but to switch to online classes,” said one parent.

Given that a school year typically lasts 10 months, parents may have to spend up to 3.5 million kyats annually per child on ferry services alone. In some areas, fees have doubled depending on distance, with charges for routes crossing townships increasing from 50,000 to 100,000 kyats. Rising fuel prices and supply limitations have also contributed to at least a 50% increase in transportation costs, according to service providers.

A school transport operator in Thaketa Township said, “Fuel prices have gone up, so fares that used to be around 80,000 to 100,000 kyats per student were increased slightly in March. When schools reopen, we may need to raise fees by at least another 30,000 kyats.”

Some schools are expected to finalize ferry fees only by the end of May, depending on fuel price trends. Transport providers say the increases are unavoidable due to soaring diesel prices, maintenance costs, and contractual obligations with schools.

“At the time we set the current fees, diesel was just over 3,000 kyats per liter. Now it has exceeded 6,000 kyats. We cannot frequently adjust prices because we operate under annual contracts. Some months, we barely break even after covering fuel and maintenance costs,” said a ferry owner.

Parents also highlighted the burden of the odd-even system, which prevents daily use of private vehicles. Violations can result in fines of 30,000 kyats and legal consequences, making it difficult for parents to manage school transportation independently. “Even if we own a car, we can’t use it every day due to the system. If we get fined, it becomes another burden. So we have no choice but to rely on ferry services, but the fees are too high,” another parent said.

Currently, ferry fees for government schools such as Dagon (1) and TTC, as well as private institutions, have not been fully finalized. However, significant increases are expected due to fuel costs.

Parents expressed growing concern over rising education expenses. “With tuition fees already increasing, if ferry fees double from 300,000 to 600,000 kyats, we don’t know how we can manage. If this continues, it may become impossible to keep our children in campus-based education,” said a parent from Yankin Township.

Some have suggested that if the odd-even system remains in place, authorities should issue special car passes for parents to allow school transportation without restrictions.

Although official statements indicate that school buses, employee shuttles, and essential vehicles are exempt from the system, reports suggest inconsistent enforcement on the ground. Some parents and company vehicles have reportedly been fined despite having supporting documents.

Initially, violations of the policy were said to carry up to one month of imprisonment, but enforcement has since shifted to fines under Section 96 of the Motor Vehicle Management Law.

The odd-even vehicle restriction system should now be abolished. Although it was introduced due to fuel shortages, the situation has largely improved. Fuel is currently being distributed under a quota system, and people are not using their cars unnecessarily during this period. For those who must rely on their vehicles for daily survival and essential work, this policy has become a burden.

It is also unclear whether the issue lies in the policy itself, as enforcement appears inconsistent across different areas. In some townships, authorities accept recommendation letters from workplaces or companies, allowing certain vehicles to operate without restriction. However, in other areas, such arrangements are not recognized. For example, I was stopped near my workplace despite explaining that my travel was work-related and unavoidable. When I raised this inconsistency with local administrative officials, they seemed either unaware of any guidelines or unwilling to provide approval, stating they could not issue such recommendations.

This situation highlights a lack of uniformity in implementation. It raises important questions about how some individuals are able to obtain approvals while others cannot, and it also opens the door to potential corruption linked to the system.

For parents, the impact is even greater. Without the ability to use private vehicles freely, many are forced to rely more on school ferry services. However, the cost of these services is already extremely high—exceeding 600,000 kyats in some schools—and is expected to rise by 30 to 40 percent next year, with some cases potentially doubling or tripling.

Therefore, authorities should carefully reconsider this policy to prevent placing an excessive burden on the public, especially during the school reopening period. If the odd-even system is to remain in place, there should at least be a well-organized car pass system to support school transportation needs.

Policies like this, which create hardship and pressure for the public, should be thoroughly reviewed and revised. This was stated by Eleven Media Group Editor-in-Chief Kyaw Zaw Lin.