Proposal for school buses to be painted dark yellow

The above content was proposed by the Ministry of Transport in the draft National Technical Regulation on technical safety quality and environmental protection for automobiles, which is being consulted.

This draft proposes that school buses must have a uniform dark yellow color covering the outside of the vehicle. The front and sides of the vehicle above the windows must have signs identifying them as school buses. The back of the vehicle must have a stop sign, warning other vehicles not to pass the bus parked at the stop to pick up or drop off students.

"School buses must be equipped with devices that monitor the entire passenger area through interior rearview mirrors and an interior camera surveillance system to monitor the behavior of the driver, guardians and students on board," the draft emphasizes.

School buses in the US. (Illustration: 19fortyfive)

The draft also requires the installation of additional cameras outside to monitor the situation outside the entrance before picking up and dropping off students. The devices must be equipped with a system to record and process driver information.

Shuttle buses must have an alarm system, emergency sound system, or direct communication to the driver or manager to warn when a student is left on the bus for no more than 15 minutes.

In particular, school buses need to be checked regularly to ensure they do not have any protrusions, dents, or sharp edges that could potentially injure students.

School buses shall be equipped with at least one first aid kit clearly marked with international symbols and an emergency warning switch for special cases. This switch shall be installed in a position that is easily visible and easily accessible in case of emergency.

School buses must be equipped with fire extinguishers to guard against fire. The location of the extinguishers must be clearly marked and easily accessible in case of emergency. The passenger compartment must be equipped with at least one fire extinguisher with a mass of at least 2 kg near the seat of the student manager and one near the seat of the driver.

Do not use double-decker buses or articulated vehicles as school buses. School buses must be equipped with a speed limiter that does not exceed 80km/h. For kindergarten buses, the number of students must not exceed 45; for primary and secondary school buses, the maximum number of students must not exceed 56.

A representative of the Ministry of Transport once informed that currently, recommendations from many traffic safety experts and the United Nations all confirm that children are the group that needs to be prioritized to ensure safety while participating in traffic compared to other groups.

However, there are no regulations governing the operation of transporting students by car, it is simply a form of passenger transport business by regular contract.

Due to the rapid increase in demand, while there is still a lack of legal regulations, there have been many shortcomings in the operation process such as: student pick-up and drop-off services are still spontaneous, vehicle quality is not guaranteed, drivers are irresponsible in picking up and dropping off students...

Therefore, this regulation aims to manage student transportation activities to ensure traffic safety, in accordance with current practices.

In the draft Road Law currently being consulted, the Ministry of Transport also stipulates that student transportation by car can be organized by educational training institutions themselves, or carried out by transport businesses. Drivers of cars transporting students must have at least 2 years of experience driving passenger transport businesses...

The draft Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety stipulates that school buses must be used for no more than 15 years, have warning lights or be registered with a paint color for identification. School buses are given priority in organizing, dividing traffic, regulating traffic, arranging stops and parking in school areas and at points on the student pick-up and drop-off routes...

Minh Khoi

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