The Kerala Motor Vehicle Department is set to introduce a GPS tracking system in all school buses under the joint RTO office in Cherthala for a safe journey to school children. The department was given direction to all schools to set up GPS instruments as early as possible, said Cherthala Joint RTO K Manoj.
"Around 170 registered vehicles are under our jurisdiction. A meeting was convened last week and direction was given to all school authorities. The details of the journey can be available to the parents and school authorities through the GPS tracking system," Manoj said."The department was imparted training to drivers to operate the GPS. Agencies were also identified to fix the machine. The speed of the vehicle, route, RTO office details, school details, mobile number of parents will be available through the system. Rs 3000 to Rs 4500 will be needed for a GPS machine depending on its facilities. Panic and alarm buttons will also be fixed in various places in the vehicle for helping children in an emergency. The alarm button will help to get the attention of the driver when the emergency will arise. However, a panic button can be used by students when an accident. When a student press panic button, the messages will reach the RTO office, school and mobile phone of parents,-" Manoj said.
At the first stage the department will introduce the GPS machine only in the vehicles owned by schools, however, many vehicles are conducting schools trips without registration. Ramkumar, a parent said, many private vehicle owners conducting school trips without the permission of RTO. -"The auto-rickshaws are main carriers of students. They are, but carrying students more than their capacity and overspeeding. So the RTO authorities should take steps to rein in on the vehicles for the effective implementation of the new system. The private vehicles should also set up GPS to control over speeding," he said. Manoj said, the department will implement GPS in private schools vehicles in the next step. The Central government was given a direction to implement GPS tracking system in all school vehicles before April 1, 2019. Before that we will implement the system in all vehicles carrying children, he said.
