Students get smart buses for safe transport

Dhaka North City Corporation is launching a pilot smart school bus service for students of Banani Bidyaniketan School and College.

Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury is scheduled to inaugurate this service today.

This initiative aims to tackle Dhaka's traffic congestion while prioritising student safety. The service includes features like CCTV cameras for real-time surveillance, a student tracking system for added security, and a dedicated mobile application that allows parents to monitor their children's location during commutes.

Dhaka North City Mayor Atiqul Islam sees this programme as a solution to two pressing issues.

"Our aim is to reduce traffic jams in Dhaka city by bringing students under bus service. It also ensures the safe commuting of students to and from their educational institutes," he told TBS.

Three double-decker buses provided by the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) will operate on three fixed routes designed for efficient student pick-up and drop-off. Each bus has a capacity of 75 students, offering ample space for comfortable commutes.

The service comes at a cost of Tk800-1,200 per student per month. To ensure accessibility, the city corporation has constructed dedicated school bus stops at 39 locations throughout the city and will provide additional financial support to keep the programme viable.

Banani Bidyaniketan Assistant Headmaster Md Enamul Hoque expressed optimism about the initiative.

"We have received enough student applications to fill the three buses allocated to us. If more students are interested, we will increase the number of buses," he said.

BRTC is offering the school a significant discount on rental fees compared to other transportation services. Additionally, to prioritise the safety of younger children, students in grades 3 and above will be given first preference for enrollment.

BRTC Deputy General Manager (Operation) Sukdev Dhali said, "We are renting three buses to Banani Bidyaniketan as per the agreement. Each bus has 75 seats. We can also provide buses to other educational institutions if they are interested in participating in the programme," he said.

This is Dhaka's second attempt at implementing a school bus service. A previous programme launched in 2011 was discontinued after a few months.

Traffic experts believe that school-related trips significantly contribute to congestion on major roads. The situation is further exacerbated by the limited space dedicated to traffic flow in the city, which currently sits at less than 6% of its total area.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Institute of Planners suggests a route-based system as a future consideration.

The organisation's President Adil Mohammed Khan said that Not every school has the resources for individual services. Route-based systems will benefit all and ease congestion.