Editorial
BRTA's special school bus service
Dependability is the issue
The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority's (BRTA) special school bus service is a welcome initiative, if embryonic at this stage. In a city where the severe traffic congestion causes not only delays but also exasperation and stress, a project to ease the plight of school going commuters is encouraging. However, its success will depend on cooperation from both the authorities and the users.
The authorities have to expand the project, providing more vehicles (already in the pipeline), increasing routes and running the service smoothly and in a manner that is most beneficial for passengers. While delays due to traffic are beyond anyone's control, more vehicles will mean fewer stops and thus fewer delays. Security is a key concern. While guardians may initially be accompanying their wards, the buses are for transporting children and the ultimate responsibility for their safety will lie with the authorities who must ensure it. This includes the barring of anyone except for the schoolchildren and, for now, their guardians, from boarding the buses. Some are currently going half empty due to lack of awareness about the service, but this will hopefully change and the precedent of not taking on board outsiders should be set now. Finally, greater awareness about the service must be created through media and other campaigns. Not only do guardians have to know about the initiative, but they also need to be motivated.
From the passengers' perspective, a common concern is that those who own cars will not send their children to school by bus. Many of those who used the service on the first day were, in fact, public transport users. This defeats the purpose of the project, which is to reduce the number of cars plying the streets. This realisation must dawn upon guardians. Everyone has a role to play in reducing the city's traffic. For children, there is the added incentive of going to school in the company of their peers and making new friends. The authorities have set the wheels rolling; maintenance and improvements are expected to follow. It is now up to the people to make the best use of the service -- once they are convinced about its efficiency and safety.
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