In recent days, bus drivers in Xingning City, Guangdong Province, have gone on strike. They stated that the government’s long-term delay in providing subsidies for free ride cards and wages has led to the drivers struggling to make ends meet, forcing them to go on strike to defend their rights.
One bus driver on a rural route in the city, Gao Jun (pseudonym), shared with a reporter from Dajiyuan that the strike started on September 1st. All buses in Xingning City and various rural areas ceased operations, totaling about 500 vehicles. After a day of protests, the local transportation department only resolved the outstanding wages for all drivers of the Yisheng Bus Company in the city. Thus, on September 2nd, the city buses resumed service. However, the drivers on rural routes were only compensated for their August salaries, which the drivers disagreed with, leading to the ongoing strike among rural bus drivers.
Gao Jun mentioned, “More than fifty buses connecting Xingning to rural areas are still not operating. Currently, only the city transportation in Xingning has resumed. The government prioritizes city transportation as it caters to students going to school, while rural routes mainly serve elderly passengers.”
He explained that the strike was timed to begin on September 1st, the first day of school for students. Since the majority of bus passengers are students, the drivers aimed to expand their impact to draw attention from the authorities.
Since September 1, 2020, Xingning City has implemented a free ride policy, benefiting groups such as seniors over 60 years old, students in primary and secondary schools, people with disabilities, active-duty military personnel, and their families stationed in Xingning, totaling nearly 400,000 people. At the time of the policy’s introduction, the government also pledged to provide Yisheng Bus Company with an annual subsidy of 1 million yuan.
Gao Jun further highlighted that the local buses operate on a contract basis. Since the implementation of the free ride policy, there has been little to no daily income. In the initial years, government subsidies sustained operations, but starting from March last year, the subsidies were cut off, and wage payments were delayed.
“The issue is that in cities like Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Zhuhai, students pay half fare, whereas in Xingning, a small county, rides are free,” Gao Jun stated.
It is understood that there are loopholes in the current student free ride policy. Students from first grade to ninth grade study within the Xingning area without any problems. However, the student card application begins in first grade and remains valid until the age of 18, causing issues when students reach high school.
Drivers revealed that the highest enrollment rate in Xingning high schools (including technical and vocational schools) is 65%, with 35% of students studying outside Xingning each year. These students do not benefit from the free student card policy. Moreover, students who graduate from high school before turning 18 can continue using their student cards until they reach 18, leading to financial losses for the government and bus owners. Therefore, the drivers have repeatedly demanded that student cards should be deactivated for high school graduates in July every year, with reapplication required for postgraduate students.
“With severe financial constraints faced by the government, timely resolution of this issue is crucial. The economic losses stemming from the 35% of students each year (including three years in high school) are immeasurable,” Gao Jun emphasized. Despite expressing their demands to higher authorities, the local government has ignored the drivers’ appeals.
Attempts to contact the city’s transportation department by Dajiyuan reporters went unanswered.
Gao Jun also revealed, “Since the implementation of the free policy, bus operations have relied entirely on government subsidies. However, since last year, these subsidies have been delayed. Our inquiries have been fruitless, as no one takes responsibility. We, as bus owners, have been covering fuel costs and driver wages to ensure the continuation of services, but after nearly a year of fronting these expenses, there has been no response from the government. For the period from March to August, only about half of the subsidy was provided. As a prepayment for the subsidy from September 2025 to August 2026, each bus received a subsidy of 10,000 yuan. In July, we expressed complaints, and they partially compensated each bus with 5,000 yuan, requiring us to respond that we are satisfied.”
Gao Jun has not received his salary (around 4-5 thousand yuan per month) for over half a year. As the fleet manager, he has personally paid around 40,000 to ensure the company’s ongoing operation. He is facing opposition from his family members who do not understand his decision to fund the company.
He added, “We have been on strike multiple times, and every time they promise a little compensation, but now it’s not just about losses; it’s about fronting too much and being unable to continue bearing the expenses.”
It is reported that the drivers had requested the government to revoke the free policy but were not granted approval.