Mangaluru: Mandatory registration of school cabs for safe transportation of children

Mangaluru: The government has made a significant decision regarding the safety of children transported to and from school in private vehicles. It is now mandatory for vehicles carrying children to be registered as “School Cabs” with the transport authority.

This new order has been issued under the Karnataka Motor Vehicles (Regulation for Transport of School Children) Amendment Act, 2024. Vehicle owners or drivers must obtain a letter from the school principal containing vehicle details, driver details, and student details, and present it to the registration authority to register the vehicle as a “School Cab.”

Previous “Contract Carriage” Permits:

Previously, vehicles with a “Contract Carriage Permit” issued under Section 74 of the Karnataka Motor Vehicles (Regulation for Transport of School Children) Act, 2012, could be used to transport school children. However, the use of private vehicles with “white number plates” for transporting children, without prioritizing their safety, led to numerous accidents. As a result, the government has amended the law.

Mandatory “School Cab Safety Committee”:

The amended law mandates the formation of a School Cab Safety Committee in every school. The committee is responsible for overseeing the safety of children. It must finalize the vehicle’s rental and parking locations. The committee must include vehicle drivers or owners and parents. The committee must ensure all safety measures, including vehicle registration certificate, fitness certificate, insurance, permit, pollution certificate, driver’s license, fire extinguisher, and first aid kit, are in place.

Key Regulations:

• A speed governor must be installed in the vehicle to limit the maximum speed to 40 km/h.
• Vehicles older than 15 years cannot be used.
• The vehicle must be painted yellow and labeled as a school vehicle.
• The seating arrangement of the vehicle cannot be altered.
• The vehicle must have complete details of the children being transported.
• For children below 12 years, the vehicle can carry up to 1.5 times the seating capacity.

Restrictions on Usage:

“Once registered as a School Cab, the vehicle cannot be used for any purpose other than transporting students. The vehicle’s color must also be changed, prohibiting its use for other rentals during holidays. This has led to questions about how many will convert their vehicles into School Cabs,” says Regional Transport Officer Sridhar Mallad.

Official Statement:

“Registration of vehicles transporting school children as ‘School Cabs’ is now mandatory. The government has amended the law and issued this order. A meeting will be held soon with school principals and officials from the School Children’s Vehicle Drivers Association to provide appropriate instructions,” said Sridhar Mallad, Regional Transport Officer, Mangaluru.