Housewife Mdm Suma Vinakota, whose son is a Primary 6 student at Townsville Primary School, said she was reassured that he would travel safely with an ambassador on the bus. “I used to worry about him boarding the right bus and getting off at the right stop when he was in the lower primary,” she said.
"I think this initiative will also help working parents save time sending their children to school, while addressing the shortage of private school bus drivers and the rising cost of private school buses," she added.
Mdm Suma, who lives near AMK Hub, is always looking for ways to contribute to the community. When she saw a message in her parent volunteer WhatsApp group about the new initiative and the recruitment of bus ambassadors, she felt it was the perfect opportunity to volunteer. So she signed up and began her journey as the first batch of bus ambassadors.
She starts her duties at 7.02am and 1.30pm. “In the morning, my son walks with me to Ang Mo Kio bus interchange to take the bus, and sometimes he follows me back on the same bus in the afternoon when he has no extracurricular activities,” she said.
As a bus ambassador, she wears a badge provided by the school so that parents and students know her role. Her main duties are to make sure the students are seated properly on the bus and to escort them safely across the road to the school.
Since taking on her new role, she has enjoyed the cheerful greetings from the students every morning. "Usually the lower primary students are very excited to see us and say hello or good morning to us," she said with a smile. "Their guardians are also happy to see us taking good care of them."
One of her most memorable moments was accompanying a student whose mother used to take her to school on the bus. "With the new initiative, she's able to board the bus independently and will wave to her mother as the bus departs. It's heartening to see that parents trust us to ensure that their children get to and from school safely on public transport," she said.
“The bus is usually not too crowded in the morning, but it can get a bit crowded in the afternoon as more passengers take the service at that time,” she said. Despite the busier afternoons, she remains dedicated to her role, ensuring that every child is safe and cared for, and that the journey is a pleasant experience.
There are currently four bus ambassadors consisting of two parent volunteers and two SBS Transit staff. Ten more parent volunteers have expressed interest in the scheme.
“I think being a bus ambassador is not only a benefit to us but also a small contribution to the community. It would be great to get more parent volunteers on board and for SBS Transit to expand this initiative to other areas,” said Mdm Suma.
[Chinese]
位于宏茂桥10道的光洋小学与新捷运合作，推出“安全上学公共巴士服务”试点计划，由巴士大使陪伴学生乘搭261号巴士往返学校。这项计划有助于缓解因司机短缺而造成的校车不足问题，同时帮助小学生学习独立，安全地乘搭公共交通上学和回家。
[Malay]
Sebagai sebahagian dari skim Bas Awam Mesra Sekolah, murid-murid dari Sekolah Rendah Townsville telah dibantu oleh duta-duta bas semasa perjalanan mereka di antara sekolah dengan Pusat Tukaran Bas Ang Mo Kio, memberikan ketenangan hati kepada ibu bapa.
[Tamil]
பொதுப் பேருந்து சேவை பள்ளித்துணை திட்டத்தின் ஒரு பகுதியாக, டவுன்ஸ்வில் தொடக்கப்பள்ளி மாணவர்கள் பள்ளிக்கும் அங் மோ கியோ பேருந்து நிலையத்துக்கும் இடையில் பயணம் செல்ல பேருந்து தூதர்கள் துணை புரிவதால், பெற்றோர்களுக்கு மனநிம்மதி கிடைக்கிறது.