Trip to School: Parents Tense
KOCHI:As schools reopen on Monday, roads in the city will be choked with buses, autos and other vehicles carrying students to school and back home. Parents, however, are concerned over the safety of their children travelling in these vehicles.
Though the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) has made arrangements to keep a watchful eye over vehicles carrying students, parents are hoping that the drivers are equally responsible about the children they are taking to school.
Sticking to its duty, the MVD has already conducted a fitness test of all the vehicles that will ply in the city carrying school students.
Schools buses, private carriers, autorickshaws and cars are still on demand among parents.
Speaking about the inspection of these vehicles, RTO K M Shaji said, “At the fitness test the Motor Vehicle Department had conducted earlier this month, around 800 vehicles had turned up, out of which 278 buses were under the Ernakulam RTO. More than 100 buses had some or the other problem to rectify and we cancelled the fitness certificate of four buses.”
He went on to point out some of the requirements of buses that are plying for schools, “As per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways last year, all the school buses must follow a colour scheme, that is golden yellow with brown borders and these buses should have proper tower bolt.”
“Most importantly, they should have a proper emergency escape, that is a window at the extreme right and a glass at the back. As for schools, every institution must maintain details of what mode of transport each of their student is resorting to, be it school bus or private vehicle,” he said.
The RTO also said that the MVD has requested all the schools to form a committee to monitor the vehicles running for the institution and that the school or the Parent-Teacher Association should conduct a surprise inspection of the school buses from time to time.
Another concern that parents seem to be having regarding school buses is that most of them are 15 to 20 years old. “Many of these school buses are reused vehicles - given a fresh face after their role as a private bus for years.
"What scares us is that we believe that the authorities turn a blind to these vehicles flouting rules and issue them fitness certificates, with the idea that these buses are never meant to ply more than 50 km per day. Accidents are attributed to speeding, driver’s lack of concentration, use of old buses or lack of experience,” said a parent and member of Parent-Teacher Association.
“It is permissible to use buses that are up to 15 years old. We are always strict when we conduct inspections and are particular that every faulty part is changed and everything is in good condition,” said the RTO.
“Moreover, all the schools are engaged in a competition to provide the best for every student and providing them good quality mode of transport is one of them,” explained Shaji.
Rules for School Vehicles
When you opt for a private vehicle or a school bus to send your child to school, remember the following points:
■ Apart from the colour of the bus and emergency window, school buses must have a proper place to keep luggage above the seat as well as under the seat.
■ All the windows must have horizontal bars to prevent children from putting their head or hands outside.
■ Till 12 years of age, the authorities consider that a seat is meant for two persons. Above that age, it is one seat for one person.
■ All school buses must have names of all the students boarding that particular bus, their parents’ name and contact details laminated and stuck inside it.
■ All buses must have a person manning the door.
■ There must be a fire extinguisher and first aid kit.
■ School bus drivers must have at least 10 years’ experience. Those with heavy vehicle licence should have five years’ experience in driving such vehicles.
■ Private vehicles must have an ‘On school duty’ board at the front and rear of the vehicle. The boards must be white with bold blue fonts large enough for other vehicles to see.
■ Auto drivers are not permitted to carry more than six children. Seating children on the drivers’ seat in autos is banned, as is accommodating students near the driver in school buses, making driving difficult.
■ Four-wheelers transporting children must have a taxi permit.
Change Rules, Demand Drivers of vehicles
Although the drivers have welcomed the steps taken by the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD), they are of the opinion that certain amendments should be made to the rules in favour of the drivers or owners of the particular vehicle plying for school duty.
“Every year, around the time of school reopening, the MVD comes forward with certain rules and regulations. Although we welcome the move, some of them are not practical. For example, as we are carrying really small children in autorickshaws, we should be permitted to carry more than six children. In the case of tempo, the travelling capacity is 14. What happens if these rules are implemented is that we will be forced to charge more from one child, which will deter parents from sending their wards in private vehicles. A situation such as this had come up two years ago when the District Collector took up the matter and made a few changes, but these never became part of the written rule. It is the government’s duty to amend the rule in favour of drivers as well,” said Haridas K V, state secretary, Motor Engineers’ Workers’ Union.