Govt urges students to plan ahead for commute on first school day

The Transport Department has advised students to allocate additional time for their commutes on the first day of school on Monday (Sep 1) to mitigate the risk of tardiness, given the anticipated increase in overall traffic.

Public transport operators have been urged to ensure sufficient service levels and to enhance and deploy standby services when necessary to meet passenger demand on the day, as stated by the Department.

Additionally, bus and cross-boundary coach operators have been reminded to maintain adequate services specifically for cross-boundary students.

On Monday morning, the Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre will elevate its operational mode to the highest tier—Joint Steering Mode—to facilitate real-time monitoring of traffic and public transport services in collaboration with the police and key public transport providers.

Staff will be stationed at major public transport interchanges, stations, school areas, border control points and tunnels to oversee operations on-site.

"Students should also take heed of road safety on their journeys, properly use crossing facilities to cross the road, and not use a mobile phone, listen to any audio device, play mobile games, eat or drink when crossing the road," the spokesman for the Department noted.