Ahead of the beginning of the new academic year, the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) on Tuesday issued guidelines for educational institution vehicles to ensure safe travel for students.
All vehicles owned by educational institutions should have display boards indicating ‘education institution vehicle’ on the front and back of the vehicle. Other vehicles used for transporting students should have ‘on school duty’ board.
The maximum speed of such vehicles has been fixed as 30 kilometres per hour in areas near schools and 50 kmph in other areas. The vehicles should have speed governors and GPS installed in it. Those driving school vehicles should have a minimum driving experience of 10 years, including five years experience of driving heavy vehicles. Drivers should be given a uniform consisting of white shirt and black pants, and should also have identity cards.
The school authorities have to ensure that the drivers who are hired do not have a record of drunken driving, overspeeding, or were punished for other offences. The maintenance work on the vehicles has to be completed before the school reopening. The vehicles should be produced in the MVD’s inspection camps.
Door attenders should also be appointed. A register consisting of the details of the students who are travelling in each trip has to be kept in the vehicle.
The vehicles should have fully equipped first aid boxes and fire extinguishers. A route officer should be present in all vehicles. The name and the contact number of the school have to be displayed on both sides of the vehicle, along with the contact numbers of Childline, Police, Ambulance, and Fire Force.
Transport Minister Antony Raju requested the cooperation of everyone concerned to ensure safe travel of children through the academic year.
