XN000022-1994-10-26 — Page 87

REPLY

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1994

MR PRESIDENT,

SCHOOL PRIVATE LIGHT BUSES, OR "NANNY VANS" AS THEY ARE SOMETIMES CALLED, HAVE SEATING CAPACITY FOR BETWEEN 8 AND 16 STUDENTS. APPLICANTS FOR LICENCES REQUIRE APPOINTMENT LETTERS FROM THE SCHOOLS TO BE SERVED BEFORE THE LICENCES CAN BE GRANTED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT. TO DATE, 1931 SUCH VEHICLES HAVE BEEN LICENSED.

THE NUMBER OF PROSECUTIONS FOR OFFENCES ARISING FROM THE OVERLOADING OF SCHOOL PRIVATE LIGHT BUSES ROSE FROM 24 IN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF LAST YEAR TO 34 IN THE SAME PERIOD THIS YEAR (I.E. AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 40%)

(A)

ANSWERS TO THE THREE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ARE:

FREQUENCY OF INSPECTIONS

FROM MAY TO SEPTEMBER 1994, THE POLICE MOUNTED 24 OPERATIONS TO CHECK ON SCHOOL SERVICE VEHICLES, INCLUDING SCHOOL PRIVATE LIGHT BUSES AND SCHOOL BUSES. EACH OPERATION WAS TARGETED AT A PARTICULAR GEOGRAPHICAL AREA, AND MANY BUSES WERE INSPECTED. IN ADDITION, SUCH VEHICLES ARE CHECKED FROM TIME TO TIME AS PART OF NORMAL POLICE PATROL DUTIES. SEPARATE STATISTICS ON THE NUMBERS OF INSPECTIONS WERE NOT MAINTAINED BY THE POLICE PRIOR TO MAY THIS YEAR.

(B)

STEPPING UP SAFETY MEASURES

IF IN

WE ARE TAKING STEPS TO IMPROVE THE SAFE OPERATION OF SCHOOL SERVICE VEHICLES. THIS INCLUDES A PROPOSAL TO AMEND ROAD TRAFFIC LEGISLATION TO REQUIRE THE INSTALLATION OF WARNING DEVICES SO THAT THE DRIVER IS ALERTED BY A BUZZER AND A RED LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD, THE VEHICLE'S EMERGENCY DOOR IS OPENED OR NOT PROPERLY CLOSED. ANTICIPATION OF THE LEGISLATION BEING ENACTED, THE RELEVANT TRADE ASSOCIATIONS ARE ADVISING THEIR MEMBERS TO INSTALL THIS EQUIPMENT NOW. IN ADDITION, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION ISSUES CIRCULARS TO SCHOOLS ADVISING THEM OF THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPERVISING STUDENTS USING SCHOOL BUSES.

THERE ARE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES IN FITTING SEAT BELTS IN BUSES BECAUSE OF THE ABSENCE OF PROPER ANCHOR POINTS FOR THE NORMAL THREE POINT SEAT BELTS. VEHICLES ARE ALL IMPORTED AND WE WILL MONITOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS IN BUS SAFETY TECHNOLOGY.

(C) PENALTIES