Hyderabad, March 17: In the wake of increasing concerns over safety of school children travelling in school buses, the state government has proposed to amend Rule 185 of the Andhra Pradesh Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 putting more emphasis on safety precautions for school and college buses. The officials on Wednesday issued the final notification in this regard and the new norms are likely to be implemented in the next academic year.
As per the new norms, school and college buses must display the name of the institution, its address and telephone number and must identify itself as ‘School/College Bus’ prominently in the prescribed format. It should have a first aid box with necessary medicines apart from fire extinguisher and dry powder. The windows should have three iron bars to prevent students from slipping out. The bus should also provide bagracks under the seats. Every bus should have at least one attendant who, along with the driver must wear a uniform prescribed by the Transport authorities.
The new norms also would give strict attention to the bus drivers, whose age should not exceed 60 years. He should have at least five years of experience in driving similar category of vehicles and the school/college management should maintain his health card apart from checking his general health conditions like blood pressure, diabetes and eye sight in every quarter. The management must also get the license particulars of the driver verified with the RTA offices to confirm genuineness.
The vehicles should be inspected by the principal and the parents committee every month to verify its condition. The school management must also provide suitable parking space, preferably within the premises, for the buses. Students should be made to embark or disembark within the school premises. One teacher and a parent should travel in the bus throughout its route every day by taking turns. The staff should also carry a complete list of the children travelling by a particular bus with like names, class, address and places where they are picked up or dropped. The list should also indicate the route plan duly attested by the Principal.
Every driver of school/college bus should undergo a one-day refreshers training course in the month of April/May every year to be organised by Transport department, completing which they will be issued a certificate which would be valid for a year.
–Agencies