KOLKATA: Bringing the entire pool car fleet under regulatory framework and giving the operators a certain degree of flexibility in operation are what, transport department officials feel, would ensure greater safety of students.
A preliminary assessment by the transport department revealed that most of the students were still being ferried by private vehicles by grossly compromising with safety rules. Since the department hardly has any control over these private vehicles, enforcing regulations on these vehicles is next to impossible. So, as the first step, the state is likely to impose a ban on ferrying students in private vehicles and ensure that all pool cars and schoolbuses are strictly commercial.
During the assessment, it was also found that return on investment against a compliant school vehicle remained very poor because of restrictions. “The regulation does not mean restrictions. While we will be regulating, we have to do away with restrictions to make their operations profitable,” said a transport department officer.
Soon, the pool cars will be granted all-Bengal permit so that these vehicles can also work as normal contract carriage to ferry tourists, office-goers and outstation passengers. These flexibilities will allow vehicles to earn extra and thus prompt operators to comply with regulations, said an official. Currently, a school pool car with commercial registration number plate can ferry only students.
The task force set up by the government will shortly meet all stakeholders to know the practical issues plaguing the sector. The force will meet pool car operators, parents, school authority and students as well to know the impediments against the regulatory measures. “We want to gauge the mood, perceptions and ground realities. We will ask parents what were forcing them to compromise with the safety of their wards.”
During recent raids, police found several ramshackle vehicles ferrying students. “We impounded one such vehicle, but students were left with no alternative ti travel to school the next day,” said a traffic sergeant of south traffic guard. “We tried to reason with parents, who insisted on the release of vehicles. Parents often don’t understand the danger of ferrying students in such unsafe vehicles,” he added.
A preliminary assessment by the transport department revealed that most of the students were still being ferried by private vehicles by grossly compromising with safety rules. Since the department hardly has any control over these private vehicles, enforcing regulations on these vehicles is next to impossible. So, as the first step, the state is likely to impose a ban on ferrying students in private vehicles and ensure that all pool cars and schoolbuses are strictly commercial.
During the assessment, it was also found that return on investment against a compliant school vehicle remained very poor because of restrictions. “The regulation does not mean restrictions. While we will be regulating, we have to do away with restrictions to make their operations profitable,” said a transport department officer.
Soon, the pool cars will be granted all-Bengal permit so that these vehicles can also work as normal contract carriage to ferry tourists, office-goers and outstation passengers. These flexibilities will allow vehicles to earn extra and thus prompt operators to comply with regulations, said an official. Currently, a school pool car with commercial registration number plate can ferry only students.
The task force set up by the government will shortly meet all stakeholders to know the practical issues plaguing the sector. The force will meet pool car operators, parents, school authority and students as well to know the impediments against the regulatory measures. “We want to gauge the mood, perceptions and ground realities. We will ask parents what were forcing them to compromise with the safety of their wards.”
During recent raids, police found several ramshackle vehicles ferrying students. “We impounded one such vehicle, but students were left with no alternative ti travel to school the next day,” said a traffic sergeant of south traffic guard. “We tried to reason with parents, who insisted on the release of vehicles. Parents often don’t understand the danger of ferrying students in such unsafe vehicles,” he added.
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