Mangalore : Regional Transport Officer Mallikarjuna has directed heads of all schools to ensure that the vehicles ferrying children to and fro schools strictly adhered to the guidelines framed by the RTO.
Addressing a meeting of school heads at his office here on May 28, Tuesday, in the wake of the schools reopening within a few days, the RTO said the rules have to be strictly adhered to in order to ensure safety of students.
Highlighting the various guidelines, he said the school vehicles should be painted in highway yellow colour and should be clearly written as school vehicles in black on all the four sides. There is no scope to carry students over and above the prescribed capacity of the vehicle, he said adding any school vehicle violating this rule would face cancellation of permits.
The RTO also informed that all the vehicles should have a fully equipped first aid box, fire extinguishers as well as the names and telephone number of the schools. The doors of the vehicles should also be securely locked while taking the children, he said.
The drivers should have a minimum driving experience of five years, he said adding the vehicles should have adequate space below the seats to place the schools bags of the students. The vehicles should have one school staff as care taker of the students in order to ensure their safety. The vehicles should also be certified that they are in good condition and have suitable permit and have speed controllers installed. The schools concerned will be held responsible for any violation of rules, he said adding the traffic police and RTO officials will also resort to lightning check-ups and in case of any violation the permits of vehicle would be cancelled.
He said autorickshaws ferrying students cannot take more than six children at a time.
Additional DC Dayanand Traffic CP Subrahmanya, Block Education officer Moses Jayashekhar and other officials were present.
