How to Ensure Your Child’s Ride is Actually Safe

Picture this: your child waves goodbye in the morning, climbs onto the yellow bus, and disappears into city traffic. For most parents, that’s the moment of trust. We assume the school has done its checks, the driver is trained, and the vehicle is safe. But recent accidents, like the one in Nagpur that exposed dozens of unsafe buses and unlicensed drivers, remind us that trust without verification can be dangerous.

The Problem: When Commute Becomes a Risk

Fatal accidents across cities have revealed a grim reality: many school transport vehicles violate basic norms. Some lack fitness certificates, others run without permits, and drivers may not even have the right license to carry children. In Gurgaon, surprise inspections led to detentions. In Nagpur, FIRs were filed after buses and vans were found operating without roadworthiness.

These aren’t isolated incidents. They expose a systemic problem: while classrooms are inspected, school transport often runs without real oversight.

What the Evidence Shows

• Nagpur police drive: Dozens of buses detained; cases filed against operators with invalid permits.

• Gurgaon initiative: A dedicated monitoring cell has been set up for school buses, with GPS route checks and surprise inspections.

• Across states: Crackdowns repeatedly show buses lacking first-aid kits, speed governors, and proper emergency exits.

The pattern is clear: compliance is more the exception than the norm.

What Parents Should Know

Safety isn’t just the school’s responsibility. It’s ours to demand transparency. Here’s what you should look for:

• Fitness Certificate: Every school bus must pass annual fitness tests. Ask to see it.

• Driver Credentials: Valid commercial licence with badge; background verification.

• Permits & Insurance: Check for a valid transport permit and active insurance.

• Safety Equipment: First-aid box, fire extinguisher, speed governor, and working CCTV (if claimed).

• GPS & Route Monitoring: Many states now mandate GPS trackers. Ask if your child’s bus is monitored live.

Pro tip: Create a “transport safety folder” just like you would for admission records. Keep copies of what the school shares.

Data & Rules You Can Rely On

• RTO guidelines: Most states follow Supreme Court directives on school transport (fitness, speed governors, permits).

• Local notifications: Transport departments periodically release checklists for inspections—stay updated.

• Inspection data: RTIs and press reports often highlight recent detentions and fines in your area.

The SchoolDoor POV

We believe commute safety is as important as classroom safety. Parents shouldn’t treat the bus as “out of sight, out of mind.” If schools are responsible for your child on campus, they’re equally responsible for the ride to and from.

That’s why transparency matters. Imagine a public map of bus routes showing which operators are compliant and which aren’t. Imagine parents pooling their observations in the form of GPS screenshots, photos of missing equipment, and stories of reckless driving.

That’s collective oversight. And it works better than waiting for an accident to trigger enforcement.