Chennai Corporation Plans Expansion of Free School Bus Service Amid Rising Enrollments

Leicester City Council has secured £9.3 million from the UK Department for Transport to extend its free electric bus service, Hop!, through 2026 and to purchase 48 new electric buses for additional city routes, aiming for all Leicester buses to be electric by 2030 to reduce pollution. The Hop! buses operate every ten minutes around the city center, serving major stops including the railway station and shopping centers. Meanwhile, in Chennai, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is expanding its successful free bus service for schoolchildren, originally launched as a pilot benefiting 373 students, to cover more schools and students, particularly those commuting from suburban and remote areas. The initiative, supported by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, includes dedicated security personnel on buses to ensure student safety and is credited with boosting confidence in public education, evidenced by a spike of over 22,000 new student enrollments in corporation schools. The expansion plan is based on data being compiled to identify students needing transport services, with the bus service also intended for educational tours and inter-school activities. Both cities' programs reflect efforts to improve public transportation accessibility and sustainability, enhancing urban mobility and educational access.