Thiruvananthapuram: The DPI has issued fresh guidelines for safety of school buses and other vehicles transporting students. All except three-wheelers should have a speed limiting device with speed fixed at 50 km. A driver who has been punished twice in a year for offences like red light jumping, violation of lane guidelines or allowing unauthorised persons to drive should not be employed on school buses.
The guidelines also allow parents to travel on such buses for checking the safety.
The guidelines suggest that the driver should have a minimum experience of at least ten years. The name and phone number of the educational institution should be written at a prominent place. The vehicle should also have a fire extinguisher. There should be adequate space under the seats for keeping school bags safely.
The doors should be fitted with reliable locks and the windows with horizontal grills. Vehicles should have a first aid box. Every educational institution bus will be painted in golden yellow colour. For identifying the institution, a 150 mm golden brown colour band will be provided on all sides of the bus below window panel. Hired vehicles transporting children should carry a board on the top of the front and rear ends saying 'on school duty' conspicuously in blue letters on white background, it said.
