Brakes applied on killer buses

Transport minister announces six steps to prevent reckless driving by BMTC drivers

 
Transport Minister R Ashok on Tuesday announced six steps to prevent reckless driving by BMTC bus drivers. The measures include imposing heavy fine on drivers for speedy and reckless driving, doing away with the driver-cum-conductor system, discouraging overtime work, re-scheduling route timings, installing Global Positioning System (GPS) and imparting training to drivers.

A number of people including pedestrians, have been killed in accidents involving BMTC buses in the last few days in the City. “We are aware of increasing number of accidents. We are initiating these steps to put an end to it,” Ashok stated.

The BMTC has decided to triple the fine on drivers for reckless driving and violation of rules like not wearing uniform while driving. The quantum of fine, fixed 25 years ago is negligible.

The minister said the route timings fixed for each of these buses will also be changed depending on traffic density, as it was noticed that drivers’ anxiety to meet the time schedules led to reckless driving.

The route timings were fixed long ago when the traffic density was much less than now. All buses would be equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) to ensure that drivers adhered to time schedules and stopped at all designated stops. The system of driver-cum-conductor of plying buses will be done away with as it leads to accidents, Ashok said.

Furthermore, in order to ensure that drivers were trained properly, the Transport department would establish driving schools in Hassan and Nelamangala.

More additions

The Transport minister said 4,000 new buses, including 1,000 under JNNURM, will be added to the BMTC and KSRTC fleets within six months.