Project to ready pool of trained bus drivers to be launched on Oct. 7 in Kochi

A long-awaited project to train and make available a pool of well-trained bus drivers will kick off in the city on October 7 (Monday) to bring down accidents and instances of reckless driving.

It is a joint initiative of Kleen Smart Bus Limited (KSBL), a public limited company registered by bus operators which once operated eight electric feeder buses from Kochi metro stations, and SCMS Institute of Road Safety and Transportation (SiRST).

SiRST had in 2023 inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Edappal-based Institute of Driver Training and Research (IDTR), aimed especially at focusing on road safety research.

Such training for drivers and even bus operators is crucial to prevent accidents like the recent one (at Vallarpadam) in which a private bus rammed an ambulance, two-wheelers, and other vehicles, before rear ending a container lorry, reportedly following brake failure. Proper training on handling such a situation could have prevented the accident which led to many people sustain injuries, said an official of the Motor Vehicles department (MVD).

On the acute shortage of well-trained bus drivers, KSBL managing director B.J. Antony, who retired from the MVD as Senior Deputy Transport Commissioner, said a pool of drivers who were trained in different aspects of safe driving and also soft skills would help usher in a new driving culture. “It would also help sustain Kerala’s public transport sector where the number of buses is down from over 30,000 two decades ago to less than 10,000 now. For example, the scientifically trained drivers could be recruited to steer 15 e-buses that Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) is expected to roll out this month on the metro’s feeder routes. Costing approximately a crore per bus, they must be driven with care and caution,” he said.

At the onset, a total of 25 drivers will be imparted training on October 7 and 8 on safe and defensive driving, traffic rules, technical aspects of buses, courteous behaviour, and also in providing first aid, said G. Adarsh Kumar, director, SiRST. “A total of 100 drivers, including women, will be trained in the first phase of the project as drivers and conductors. The training can be extended by one more day if we get adequate funds,“ he added.