Proposed school bus shuttle must be painted in bold yellow color and equipped with an alarm for child abandonment.

This is also part of the content in the draft National Technical Standards for Technical Safety and Environmental Protection for automobiles, which is currently being consulted.

“Student shuttle buses must be equipped with devices that allow the observation of the entire passenger area through interior rear-view mirrors and an internal monitoring camera system to monitor the behavior of drivers, guardians, and students on board,” the draft emphasizes.

At the same time, the draft also requires the installation of additional cameras outside to monitor the situation outside the doors before picking up or dropping off students. These devices must have a recording and processing system for driver information.

Shuttle buses must have an alarm system, emergency sound or direct communication with the driver or supervisor to alert them if a student is forgotten on the bus for no more than 15 minutes.

Special attention must be paid to keep the shuttle buses regularly checked, without any protrusions, depressions, sharp corners that could cause injury to students.

The seats of the students must not be arranged in the first row along with the driver’s seat; seats from the second row onwards must be equipped with a two-point safety belt.

There should be no holes inside and outside the bus, protrusions, depressions, sharp corners, or defects that can easily trap children’s fingers and cause injury to students.

Student transport vehicles must be equipped with at least one prominently marked first aid kit and an emergency switch for special cases. This switch must be installed in easily observable and accessible positions for emergency situations.

Student transport vehicles must be equipped with fire extinguishers in case of fire. The installation location of the fire extinguisher must be clearly marked and easily accessible in emergency situations. The passenger compartment must be equipped with at least one fire extinguisher with a minimum weight of 2kg near the seat of the student supervisor and one near the driver’s seat.

Double-decker buses and articulated buses should not be used as student shuttle buses. Student shuttle buses must be equipped with speed limiting devices that do not exceed 80km/h. For kindergarten student shuttle buses, the number of students must not exceed 45; for primary and secondary student shuttle buses, the maximum number of students must not exceed 56.

In addition, in the Road Traffic Law draft currently under consultation, the Ministry of Transport also regulates that the transportation of students by car can be organized by educational institutions themselves or by transport businesses. Car drivers for student shuttle services must have a minimum of 2 years of experience in passenger transportation…

TH (Tuoitrethudo)

Illustration: Student shuttle buses in the United States