The costs of running a bus service are high, and providing school bus services rarely cover them, said industry players, who said the cost of running a bus service is high.
It is the supplementary income from transporting workers and tourists that keeps the school bus business viable, said Adrian Yeap, CEO of bus company Yeap Transport.
No school bus operator can survive on just school bus fare in Singapore, he told CNA's podcast Heart of The Matter.
Previously, school bus operators had pupils in the morning session and afternoon session to cater to students, but things changed after the move to a single session in 2000.
Mr Yeap said the price did not catch up.
If it costs S $100 a day to run the service today, what he may earn from three trips may be S $30.
To earn the remaining money to break even, he said, he will have to drive more.
How many more hours do you want the school bus driver who's responsible for the very life of your children at the back to drive? He asked, and he answered.
The bus driver must drive numerous hours to make ends meet, he said.
Parents' perceptions on how much school bus services are worth it, bus owners said.
A lot of the parents have a mindset that they are willing to pay this much, said Darry Lim, a spokesman for the Singapore School Transport Association.
Parents of children in local primary schools currently pay between S $110 and S $180 per month for nine months, he said.