For many students, the school day begins and ends with a bus ride, making safe school transportation a top priority for parents and stakeholders. As schools reopen, the focus often lies on registration, purchasing books, and preparing supplies, but the critical need to educate students on safety during transportation is sometimes overlooked.
A recent study exploring advancements in school transportation safety highlighted three key factors for ensuring secure bus travel: Well-designed and regularly maintained buses, comprehensive driver training, and robust management of safety protocols. These elements are essential for providing a reliable, sustainable, and safe transportation system for students.
At the start of this year, a significant agreement was signed between the Ministry of Education, the Development Bank, and Karwa Motors Company, coordinated by the General Secretariat of the Tender Board. This agreement aims to phase out old school buses and replace them with 5,000 new buses over the next five years. The new fleet will feature the latest safety and monitoring systems to ensure a safe and comfortable journey for students from home to school and back. Additionally, this initiative includes training drivers to obtain a preventive driving license, enhancing their ability to navigate safely.
The project not only aims to elevate safety standards but also supports the national economy by promoting local Omani industries and providing opportunities for small and medium enterprises. Issa bin Saleh al Rashdi, Director of the School Transport Department at the Ministry of Education, emphasised that renewing school transport contracts and introducing new buses are part of the ministry's broader strategy to align with traffic safety standards.
Al Rashdi also noted that the Ministry is committed to renewing over 20,000 school transportation vehicles and has already deployed more than 800 new buses equipped with high-quality features, at a cost of 4.8 million Omani riyals. The Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology has further organized efforts to regulate school transport activities, emphasising the need for bus drivers to comply with safety standards and register buses on the ministry's transportation platform. They also conduct regular inspection campaigns under the slogan "A Safe and Sustainable Integrated School Transportation System" to ensure compliance with the Land Transport Law and safety regulations.
Bus drivers play a crucial role in maintaining the trust placed in them by parents, ensuring that students are safely transported to and from school. This responsibility extends to all road users, who must prioritise school buses and exercise caution in areas where students are present. The combined efforts of bus drivers, the ministry, and the broader community are vital in creating a safe transportation environment for all students.
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