Protect School Transport Services in Budget 2027 – CTTC
The CTTC’s pre-Budget submission calls for targeted support to safeguard bus operators delivering 95% of Ireland’s school transport services
The Coach Tourism & Transport Council (CTTC), the representative body for Ireland’s commercial bus and coach sector, has today published its pre-Budget 2027 submission. Among a number of measures being sought, the organisation is calling on the Government to deliver targeted measures to bus operators who deliver 95% of Ireland’s school transport services, in order to protect the viability of these routes, and the transportation of children to their schools.
The ongoing fuel crisis arising from geopolitical developments, saw some operators rescind their school transport contracts, with demand for school bus places expected to surge amid a growing demographic cohort and pre-existing capacity issues across the country, the CTTC contends that safeguarding the integrity of services and building on existing capacity is crucial. To that end, the CTTC is calling for a range of contingency measures to protect the long-term delivery of school transport services. These include:
- The introduction of a School Transport Contracts Compensation Scheme to safeguard this essential service in the event of operators facing inordinate fuel price rises that threatens the viability of their business;
- An annual contract indexation and a fuel variation mechanism, to protect services in the face of external shocks.
Making these measures permanent would ensure operators can continue delivering safe, reliable, and affordable school transport in the face of rising operating costs, while providing certainty for school-going children and their families battling cost-of-living challenges.
Under the School Transport Scheme, commercial operators transport more than 181,000 pupils to and from school each day, including over 24,000 children with special educational needs. With demand expected to increase significantly over the coming years, the CTTC said reform and modernisation of school contracts and maintaining the financial sustainability of independent operators will be critical to the future expansion and delivery of school transport services.
The CTTC’s pre-Budget 2027 submission also calls on the Government to support investment in cleaner, greener fleets, ensure fare reductions are applied equally for all passengers, and strengthen public transport infrastructure across Ireland.
CTTC Chairperson David Conway said: “School transport is one of the State’s most important public services. Every school day, commercial operators ensure that hundreds of thousands of children get to and from school consistently, affordably, and safely. Amid a constantly evolving geopolitical environment, which has a direct impact on fuel prices in Ireland, operators need Budget support that reflects the realities of their operations, so they can continue delivering 95% of school transport routes.
“Budget 2027 is an opportunity to strengthen Ireland’s entire commercial bus and coach sector. The measures proposed by the CTTC are practical, targeted, and deliverable. They will support investment in cleaner fleets, provide better value for passengers, strengthen regional connectivity, and ensure operators can continue delivering the essential services that communities rely on daily.”
Read the submission here.
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