SCHOOL BUSES

Evening Star, Issue 22684, 25 June 1937, Page 8

SCHOOL BUSES

SAFETY OF CONVEYANCES POSITION IN OTAGO DISTRICT “ Conveyance services for school children have been running in the Otago district for some 20 years, and so far there has not been a single accident involving injury to children,” said an official of tlie Otago Education Board this morning, when the published statement by the Minister of Transport (the Hon R. Semple) concerning the licensing of buses carrying school children was referred to him. “All the bates in Otago are examined yearly by either county council or other local authority inspectors, and vehicles in the Otago Board’s district are certified as safe. The onus is on the head masters to report any defect that may be noticed in the buses used. It is possible that the chief complaint is that a number of buses bave_ a tilt cover, which admits the cold in the winter time. A point to be remembered here i§ ■ that most _ of to® buses travel comparatively short distances of from six to 10 miles to the schools, and they are frequently stopping to pick up children at their gates. There is, therefore, no occasion for high speeds in many cases. Also, the children are not on the buses for more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time. The board is satisfied from inspection of the certificates issued that the buses are safe. Over 1.000 children are conveyed daily to school under contracts with bus proprietors, while some 400 children are driven by their parents in private cars to their schools.” The official added that the foregoing was simpiv an explanation of the position in his" board’s district, and was not meant to suggest that the provisions of the Transport Licensing Act should not lie extended'to cover the buses.