Chandigarh: The Education Department will tighten its grip on cars that transport students

To put student safety first, the Education Department will be taking more aggressive measures to stop students from using small vans and unlicensed autorickshaws to go to and from school.

The State Transport Authority’s (STA) regulations must be adhered to by automobiles, since the Director of School Education has voiced concerns about parents driving their kids to school in such vehicles. These include following authorized capacity limitations and possessing the appropriate licenses.

To further guarantee the security of kids using transportation services, private schools have been asked to notify parents of these regulations. Schoolchildren’s safety is seriously jeopardized when vehicles like autorickshaws and maxi taxis are overloaded.

Maxicabs and cars carrying students are required by law to get a contract carrier permission from the STA, Chandigarh. They must also transport youngsters in authorized capacities and follow designated color schemes. A automobile may accommodate no more than four students under the age of twelve. Furthermore, it is required for autorickshaws to have horizontal grills or gates on both sides.

As a severe measure against offenders, the State Transport Authority has already issued challans to 215 buses, 210 taxis and maxicabs, and 1,089 three-wheelers between January 2023 and March 2024.

The Education Department has required school buses to have GPS devices installed in order to improve safety measures even further. This allows parents to follow their children in real time. Schools must also keep backup records of their routes, speeds, and stopping times for a period of three days.

Furthermore, the department has been directed by the Education Secretary to make adherence to transportation laws a prerequisite for schools to be affiliated with the CBSE and get provisional accreditation. This means the agency will conduct extensive inspections of school transportation facilities.

Schools have been urged to reevaluate their rigorous arrival time standards in order to accommodate students who arrive late on occasion. With the city’s traffic congestion becoming worse, this policy aims to stop vehicles from driving rashly out of time limitations.

Put a GPS unit on school busses.

The installation of GPS equipment on school buses is required by the Education Department, giving parents real-time tracking capabilities. Schools must also keep backup records of their routes, speeds, and stopping times for a period of three days.