From ’10, Ahmedabad school vehicles to charge summer fares
Written By
S Krishnan
| Updated:
Students’ parents say drivers’ demand is unfair, but they may to comply since they have no alternative.
Taking a cue from several schools in the city that charge parents fees even during the summer holidays, the drivers of autorickshaws and vans that take children to school have begun demanding that parents pay fares even during the four-month annual vacation - despite the fact that the children will not be attending school during the summer.
With a move that could lead to demands for a hike in public transport rates, the Ahmedabad Schools Vardi Association is all set to increase fares once schools reopen for the new academic term after the next summer vacations. “The fares charged by autorickshaws and vans start from Rs450 and Rs550 per month, respectively. The parameters set by the transport authority will result in a loss of business for them because of the increase in the price of CNG,” said Dharmendra Brahmbhatt, president of the Ahmedabad Schools Vardi Association.
The fares that the autorickshaws and vans earlier charged were Rs350 and Rs400 per month, respectively. “According to the rules and regulations, the number of schoolchildren per vehicle needs to be reduced. During the summer vacations, the fare for vans will be Rs650 per month while that for autorickshaws will be Rs550 per month,” Brahmbhatt said.
“We usually ferry 10 children per trip. At times, the number goes up to 15. The new ‘five children per trip’ norm will affect our business. The administration should keep our interests in mind too,” said Narendra Singh, the driver of an autorickshaw.
Parents feel that drivers’ demand is unfair, but say that they are forced to pay in order that the rickshaw drivers take their children to school the next academic year. “I have trouble managing alternate transport for my children. I was very worried about how I would send my son to school. The administration has shown concern for parents too, by reconsidering its proposal to ban autorickshaws,” said Aniket Sharma, a parent.
“The rickshaw drivers earlier charged one month’s fare for the summer vacation. Some years ago, because of the drought and earthquake, schools had declared a three-month vacation. Unfortunately, both the schools and autorickshaw drivers are charging unnecessarily high sums as summer fees, and parents have no option but to pay them,” Sharma said, adding that the school vans charge anything between Rs500 and Rs700 per month, while rickshaws charge up to Rs300.
“I am unhappy with their demand, but I have no option but to pay. It would be a hassle to search for another autorickshaw driver to take my children to school next year. It is not easy to get a trustworthy driver. So, though unhappy with the demand, I have agreed to pay the vacation fare,” said Krupa Joshi, a parent.
The rickshaw union leaders, however, blame parents for encouraging the ‘vacation fare’ trend among the drivers. “Earlier, when the rates were nominal, the parents did not mind paying the additional fare. Now, as the fare has been hiked, they are unhappy and want to discontinue the trend. But this situation would not have arisen if the parents had objected earlier,” said Harihar Mishra, president of the Ahmedabad Auto Drivers’ Union.
Mishra said that the school rickshaw owners have rules similar to those set by the school authorities. “It is more of an agreement between the two parties — the parents and rickshaw drivers. This way, both do not have to search for alternatives at the beginning of the academic year,” he said.
With the increase in CNG prices by Rs2 per kg, the transport cost for a van carrying an average of 15 schoolchildren will increase by one paisa per passenger per km, and by two paisa in the case of an autorickshaw, Brahmbhatt said.
There are some parents who feel that the drivers are justified in demanding a certain amount as vacation fares. “With the increase in the price of CNG, autorickshaw drivers have no option but to charge higher fares. But this should be reasonable. It is not much of a problem if they charge less according to the distance,” said Richa Mulchandani, a lecturer at the Gujarat National Law University.
With a move that could lead to demands for a hike in public transport rates, the Ahmedabad Schools Vardi Association is all set to increase fares once schools reopen for the new academic term after the next summer vacations. “The fares charged by autorickshaws and vans start from Rs450 and Rs550 per month, respectively. The parameters set by the transport authority will result in a loss of business for them because of the increase in the price of CNG,” said Dharmendra Brahmbhatt, president of the Ahmedabad Schools Vardi Association.
The fares that the autorickshaws and vans earlier charged were Rs350 and Rs400 per month, respectively. “According to the rules and regulations, the number of schoolchildren per vehicle needs to be reduced. During the summer vacations, the fare for vans will be Rs650 per month while that for autorickshaws will be Rs550 per month,” Brahmbhatt said.
“We usually ferry 10 children per trip. At times, the number goes up to 15. The new ‘five children per trip’ norm will affect our business. The administration should keep our interests in mind too,” said Narendra Singh, the driver of an autorickshaw.
Parents feel that drivers’ demand is unfair, but say that they are forced to pay in order that the rickshaw drivers take their children to school the next academic year. “I have trouble managing alternate transport for my children. I was very worried about how I would send my son to school. The administration has shown concern for parents too, by reconsidering its proposal to ban autorickshaws,” said Aniket Sharma, a parent.
“The rickshaw drivers earlier charged one month’s fare for the summer vacation. Some years ago, because of the drought and earthquake, schools had declared a three-month vacation. Unfortunately, both the schools and autorickshaw drivers are charging unnecessarily high sums as summer fees, and parents have no option but to pay them,” Sharma said, adding that the school vans charge anything between Rs500 and Rs700 per month, while rickshaws charge up to Rs300.
“I am unhappy with their demand, but I have no option but to pay. It would be a hassle to search for another autorickshaw driver to take my children to school next year. It is not easy to get a trustworthy driver. So, though unhappy with the demand, I have agreed to pay the vacation fare,” said Krupa Joshi, a parent.
The rickshaw union leaders, however, blame parents for encouraging the ‘vacation fare’ trend among the drivers. “Earlier, when the rates were nominal, the parents did not mind paying the additional fare. Now, as the fare has been hiked, they are unhappy and want to discontinue the trend. But this situation would not have arisen if the parents had objected earlier,” said Harihar Mishra, president of the Ahmedabad Auto Drivers’ Union.
Mishra said that the school rickshaw owners have rules similar to those set by the school authorities. “It is more of an agreement between the two parties — the parents and rickshaw drivers. This way, both do not have to search for alternatives at the beginning of the academic year,” he said.
With the increase in CNG prices by Rs2 per kg, the transport cost for a van carrying an average of 15 schoolchildren will increase by one paisa per passenger per km, and by two paisa in the case of an autorickshaw, Brahmbhatt said.
There are some parents who feel that the drivers are justified in demanding a certain amount as vacation fares. “With the increase in the price of CNG, autorickshaw drivers have no option but to charge higher fares. But this should be reasonable. It is not much of a problem if they charge less according to the distance,” said Richa Mulchandani, a lecturer at the Gujarat National Law University.