‘One attendant needs to be engaged in school buses and pool cars’

Kolkata: One attendant, preferably a woman, should be engaged in school buses and pool cars to help children with boarding, de-boarding and crossing the road, the updated guidelines were issued by the Transport department.

Considering the growing number of school buses and pool cars, it was deemed advisable by the department to further update these guidelines for ensuring the safety and security of the school-going children. Some basic advisories were issued for guidance and compliance for the operation of such school buses and pool cars in the state.

The updated guidelines, as per the directions passed by the Supreme Court with regards operation of school buses and pool cars for carrying school children, included legal provisions to be followed by both modes of transportations, facilities needed as well as responsibilities of school authorities and operators.

They have directed school bus operators to ensure proper police verification of the antecedents of school bus drivers and attendants prior to appointment.

Both the school bus and pool car operators have been asked to ensure that the staff hired have not been once booked for offences like over-speeding, drunken driving, and not more than twice for offences like overtaking, violating stop-line, driving beyond the limits of bus-lane and allowing unauthorised persons to drive.

While agreeing with most of the guidelines laid down, a pool car operator said that having one attendant in a small pool car of nine to ten seater would be difficult financially. “Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 will go in paying the attendant and Rs 15,000-Rs 16,000 to the driver. In total we will have to cough up around Rs 20,000 which will be impractical for us financially compared to what we earn,” he said.