GPS trackers must in school buses, background checks on drivers soon
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Nagpur: In a bid to tighten safety protocols for school transport, the state education department has issued a government resolution (GR) mandating alcohol and drug testing for bus drivers, cleaners, and female attendants.
The resolution also directs schools to ensure that only authorised personnel are allowed inside student transport vehicles.
The GR outlines new and revised safety norms ahead of the academic session, including mandatory background checks of school bus drivers with a focus on their accident history and driving record. It also makes GPS installation in buses and safety training for transport staff compulsory.
A key provision in the GR relates to students using private transport such as vans and autos.
"Parents must inform the school about the driver's verification and identity details. They should also maintain personal information about the drivers for their own security," the resolution states.
Sanjay Tayde-Patil, founder-president of Maharashtra English Schools Trustees Association (MESTA), said, "The norms for school buses are not new, but the emphasis on police verification for private transport is significant.
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It's the parents' responsibility to hire only those with a police-issued character certificate."
However, he flagged issues in practical implementation. "Once the school bell rings, hundreds of students rush out at once. There's no way to track who is getting into which private vehicle," he said. He added that autos and vans usually wait outside school gates, and only in the case of very young children are they allowed into designated pickup zones inside the campus.
Schools have also been told to set up a notification system to track students who are absent or miss their bus.
Samar Jog, a school bus fleet operator, said, "All these norms are already being followed by most organised operators. The government likely issued this GR ahead of the school year to formalise the measures on paper."
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