Transport Scheme: strict regulations
After the tragic death of 14 Rheenendal Primary School learners and their bus driver, Collin Pyl in an accident on Wednesday, August 24, the Department of Education as well as the Minister of Transport and Public Works were asked to explain what measures were being taken to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.
According to Steve Otter, spokesperson for Western Cape Minister of Transport and Public Works, Robyn Carlisle, both the departments of Transport and Education were carrying out investigations concurrently with the police. “We will have a high-level meeting this week to discuss our findings, and to raise possible interventions to prevent recurrence of incidents of this kind.”
He added that this incident highlighted several existing debates about operator and driver fitness management in the public transport sector generally and learner transport in particular.
“We are certainly not discounting anything at this stage, although, clearly, wider studies will also be required to determine how widespread the issues arising from the Rheenendal disaster are.”
Minister Carlisle had given instructions to consider an existing proposal to impose additional conditions on public transport operating licences that, according to Otter, will give “far greater powers to bring rogue operators and drivers to book”.
Paddy Attwell, spokesperson for the Western Cape Department of Education (WCED), said that the Learner Transport Scheme in the Western Cape was the largest in the country. “The department provides transport for about 48 700 learners every day via 493 bus contracts involving about 1 500 buses, and the budget for the scheme in 2011/12 is R160 million.”
He said further that the department overhauled the transport scheme several years ago to ensure high safety standards and greater operational efficiency. “The WCED does not compromise on safety. It is important to note that our requirement for road-worthiness exceeds that of the road traffic.” He added, “All the role players in the Learner Transport Scheme play a role in ensuring compliance to bus contracts.”
Attwell explained that the bus companies were responsible for submitting road-worthiness certificates to the department every six months.
According to him the officials worked closely with traffic authorities to ensure compliance, by conducting regular spot checks and by checking all road-worthiness certificates submitted by contractors.
Bronagh Casey, Spokesperson for Western Cape Minister of Transport, Donald Grant,added, “From the WCED’s side, we are still currently investigating aspects of the accident. We expect this report to be released in the next few days.”
She further explained that the WCED already had various safety measures in place in terms of learner transport. “However, in the coming weeks we will be reviewing some of these safety requirements with the view to further improve or ‘fine-tune’ safety on our transport schemes.”
The safety measures she was referring to include that all contractors must submit road-worthiness certificates in their tender documents for specific vehicles, and may not change these vehicles unless they have received permission to do so. Replacement vehicles must comply with the terms of the contract.
While road traffic regulations require transport suppliers to renew such certificates every 12 months, the department requires contractors to provide new certificates every six months. The department verifies with the traffic department the road-worthiness certificates of all vehicles listed in tender applications.
The WCED has appointed a team of seven officials who travel with road traffic inspectors to different parts of the Western Cape to carry out spot checks.
Each district has officials responsible for managing the transport scheme in their areas. The officials liaise with schools and their colleagues to ensure compliance to school transport procedures.
Schools are responsible for providing lists of learners who qualify for bus transport. The department has issued guidelines to schools with a request to principals to monitor the condition of buses and to report any areas of concern.
To the point above, Attwell clarified that although school principals were not qualified to undertake technical inspections and did not have the legal authority to enforce road regulations, they “however, do have an important role to play by keeping an eye on the transport provided by contractors on a day-to-day basis”.
In conclusion Casey assured: “The WCED will continue implementing its safety measures rigorously and will study them closely to see how they can be further improved.”
Atwell explained that school principals are responsible for submitting the names of learners who qualify for transport to the department and for keeping these up to date. According to Attwell the department has officials who are responsible for managing the transport scheme, which includes monitoring compliance by bus contractors.
In closing, Attwell reiterated that the WCED does not compromise on safety.
ARTICLE: FRAN KIRSTEN, KNYSNA-PLETT HERALD REPORTER
Source: The Knysna-Plett Herald