Parents take the help of school bus for the purpose of sending their children to school safely without any hassle. For this they also have to pay a hefty amount. Despite this, if there are reports of accidents involving school buses, then it is bound to worry the parents. Along with this, questions will also be raised on the management of the concerned school, operators of school buses, district administration and the working style of the district transport department. Well, these things are in their place, but whenever a school bus is a victim of an accident, its first responsibility falls on the driver and the helper who is driving the bus. It is their responsibility to check the safety of the bus before taking it out from the depot and to drive the bus carefully on the road, because their bus carries immense possibilities to take the country forward. That’s why driver sir! Drive the bus carefully for the sake of these children.
Schools take bus fees, but avoid responsibility
It has often been seen that the school does not want to take any responsibility for the safety of the children. Especially regarding going by bus and van. In case of any accident, the school management clearly takes a back seat. In most of the schools of the capital, the buses of private operators are run on contract, but the buses are operated in the name of the schools only. Parents are not informed whether the bus belongs to the school manager or private operators. The bus fee is also decided by the school level only. The situation is that many school managements do not even take information about the condition of the bus from the private bus operators and start operating it in the name of the school.
These incidents raised questions
There have been many accidents in the school buses plying on the roads of the capital, but every time the school operators refuse to take responsibility for it. Recently, a bus of Surendranath Centenary School caught fire. At the same time, the nut of the tire of Bishop Westcott Boys’ School had fallen. Recently, a student had fallen in the Acharyakulam school bus, due to which he had a serious head injury. After this incident, the DTO had written a letter to the school managers, instructing them to operate the bus after a thorough investigation, but it was not implemented.
Standards are not taken care of
Iron mesh on windows, first aid box, low seats for nursery and prep children, dress for bus driver and co-driver is necessary in school buses. Regular checking of the bus should be done. Children should know about the emergency door, but these safety standards are often overlooked.
Children over capacity in many buses
Many private schools in the capital seat more children in the bus than their capacity. From time to time, parents also complain about this, but the answer of the school management is that you make your own arrangements.
School management should also take responsibility and put pressure on the bus operator: DTO
DTO Praveen Kumar Prakash said that awareness programs related to road safety are conducted in every school at regular intervals. In this, along with the school children, the school bus driver is also made aware. Road Safety Committee, Ranchi informs about road safety and traffic rules in various schools. In this, school children from ninth to 12th standard, school staff, bus drivers and sailors are involved. From January 1 to July 20, 2023, an awareness program has been conducted in 25 schools. Despite this, it is the responsibility of the school management to put pressure on the bus operators to update all the documents of the school buses, only then they should be allowed to run the bus.
No number plate, no fitness, no insurance, pollution also failed
Buses of private schools are running on the roads flouting the safety rules. Along with failure of fitness of school buses, insurance and pollution have also failed. Due to the negligence of the school management, the bus operators act arbitrarily. They don’t even get the vehicles checked from time to time. Papers are also not updated. Not only this, the standards of the rules set for school buses are also not being met.
Drivers and porters without dress
Along with the failure of the papers, the drivers and porters in the buses remain without dress. Many school buses do not even have the name of the school written on them. At the same time, even the number plates are missing in the buses of some schools.
School buses have to follow these rules
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Bus should have first aid box
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must have a fire extinguisher
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there should be a lattice on the window
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Drivers and porters should be in uniform
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Driver’s license required
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Buses should be fitted with GPS
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Insurance, pollution, fitness should be updated
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Emergency number should be written on buses along with school and management
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School bus should be of yellow colour, school bus or on school duty should be written on the front and back of the buses
talk of the principals
The driver and co-driver of the school bus are given training every two months. In the school, the breath analyzer machine is used to check. The bus has a tracking system, so that the parents and the school management know where the bus is.
– Dr. Ram Singh, Principal DPS School
Training is given to the bus driver and co-driver. They have been given strict instructions to drive the bus only according to the prescribed norms. The standards set by the government are followed. GPS system is installed. Parents get the location of the bus through the app. Prompt action is taken on any kind of complaint.
Samarjit Jana, Principal JVM Shyamali