Safe and Responsible Driving
Law On School Buses & School Traffic
It is pertinent to mention here that the Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court in CWP No. 78 of 2019 has ordered on 17.1.2020 regarding ban on carrying of more than four students in an auto rickshaw in UT Chandigarh.
Prescribed Pattern For Paint. The motor vehicles belonging to educational institutions:
- Shall be painted in yellow colour with a 254mm wide strip of dark blue paint going all around the body 178mm below the windows.
- The crest of the institution shall be painted below the dark blue strip in white colour on both sides of the vehicle between the rear and the front wheels.
- The name of the institution shall be written on the front side either above or below the windscreen according to the space available.
Route Board: The buses shall carry a board showing the name of the school, route and timings, which shall be displayed, conspicuously on the front of the bus.
Qualifications Prescribed For School Bus Driver: A trained, experienced and well-versed driver should man the school bus.
- Driving Experience: The bus driver engaged should have at least 5 years driving experience
- Offence History: The bus driver should not have been challaned more than 3 times for traffic violation like jumping red light, improper parking, violating stop line, unauthorized lane changing, overtaking etc. & ought not to have been charged for an offence under Ss. 279, 336, 337, 338, 304a of the I.P.C., 1860 during the period of requisite experience of 5 years.
- Uniform: The drivers of the educational vehicles shall wear proper uniform and name plate showing the name and licence number of the driver.
- Medical Fitness: The drivers of all the vehicles shall be subjected to medical fitness by the civil surgeon of the district, which may be arranged for the purpose once in five years.
- Training: The drivers of all the school buses shall be subject to a refresher course at least once in 2 years to be arranged by the transport department. It shall be the obligation of the registered owner of the bus and the school to ensure that the drivers undergo the required refresher courses within the stipulated period.
Qualifications Prescribed For Attendant: All school buses shall have a conductor or an attendant. The attendant should be adequately trained to handle young children.
- Uniform: The conductors of the educational vehicles shall wear proper uniform and name plate showing the name and licence number of the conductor.
- Training: The conductors of all the school buses shall be subject to a refresher course at least once in 2 years to be arranged by the transport department. It shall be the obligation of the registered owner of the bus and the school to ensure that the conductors undergo the required refresher courses within the stipulated period.
Prescribed Speed Limit: The school buses/vehicles shall not be permitted to exceed the speed of maximum 50 km/hr in any part of the city.
Prescribed Limit On Seating Capacity: No educational vehicle shall carry children in excess of 1.5 times of its registered seating capacity. As children occupy smaller physical space than the adults and as the registered seating capacity is with reference to adult occupants, the school vehicles are permitted to seat school children up to 1.5 times the registered seating capacity.
Disembarkation of School Children: All schools having parking area inside the boundary walls shall ensure that the children are dropped inside the boundary wall of the school by the buses.
Control of Traffic: The educational institutions shall control and man the traffic through their manpower in and around the school premises.
Fire Extinguisher & First Aid Box: All educational vehicles shall carry first aid box and fire extinguisher as required under rules.
Documents: The school bus shall be properly maintained, should be roadworthy, should possess the certificate of fitness and insurance certificate, and not emanate smoke beyond the permissible limit. Every vehicle, bus, or such other means of, carrying school children shall hold proper permit/ permission.
School Bus Stop: Proper bus stop for the stoppage of school buses shall be marked on the main road as well as on the inner roads of various sectors/colonies. Due demarcation and sign boards exhibiting school bus stop shall be displayed at that point.
Pedestrian Crossings: Pedestrian crossings (zebra crossing) shall be provided on all the roads which are in front of all the schools located on the main or inner roads in all the towns of the states of Punjab and Haryana and U.T. Chandigarh. Any person who offends the law with regard to pedestrian crossing and does not stop the vehicle prior to the pedestrian crossing provided for the children to go to school, if so needed in that area, shall be deemed to have committed a traffic offence and shall be liable to be punished in accordance with law.
