Last Updated: 5 Oct 2024

250+ deaths involved in Delhi Bus accidents in last 5 years

Dash Cam and Driver Cam in Buses + Bus Management System for monitoring

2 cameras within the bus to be installed
-- Dashcam, which will serve the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) of the bus
-- Other cam will monitor the driver behaviour^[1]

Safety Measures introduced
-- Live Tracking of Real Time data with Bus Management Dashboard
-- Check on No double shifts & Alcoholism
-- Simulators for training

¶ 1. Bus Management System (BMS)^[1:1]

A pilot has already been conducted with 300 buses and full deployment expected within 2024

• A dashboard for the various categories of data collected being developed^[1:2]
• A contract is being signed by a private agency that will help monitor the data for the next 12 years^[1:3]

Benefits
1. Monitoring driver behaviour

• Whether driver is wearing a seatbelt or not, if the seatbelt is just strapped from behind his back
• Whether the driver is sleeping or had left the vehicle switched on
• Whether drivers are waiting at all stops or not
• Check if he is playing loud music and several other things

2. Route rationalisation using GPS data

• More efficient by reducing or adding stoppages
• Will get the digital ticketing data that will show peak hour demand

3. More efficient charging of electric buses

• SOC data will suggest what time of day will be best for charging

¶ 2. Safety measures introduced^[2][3]

a. Digitisation of Trasport system

• No Double Shifts: Aadhar-based duty allocation for drivers to ensure that drivers are not assigned double shifts^[2:1]
• Only 8 hour shift: The regular shifts** of bus drivers to be for eight hours a day^[2:2]
• Biometric face recognition software to monitor drivers ^[3:1]
• Link pool with Aadhaar numbers to monitor driver activity across DTC and Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System Limited (DIMTS)^[2:3]

b. Driving Simulators and Improved Training

The procurement of 2 Bus simulators is in progress^[2:4]

• Periodic training of drivers on simulators^[2:5]
• Train the drivers at the Nand Nagri depot by 14 trainers in batches of 120 for six days by DTC^[4]
• Create a common pool of DTC drivers allowing concessionaires to appoint drivers as needed^[2:6]
• No hiring of black listed drivers by any department^[2:7]
• Conduct regular workshops to sensitise drivers, with training provided at the time of induction and regular refresher courses after that^[2:8]
• Suspension the license of drivers for at least 6 months if they are found guilty of causing the crash ^[4:1]
• Take over the training of drivers of electric buses from private operators in a bid to curtail accidents involving e-buses ^[4:2]

c. Monitor Driver's health & Alcohol

• The breath-analyser tests at each depot to prevent drunk and driving incidents^[2:9]
• Mandatory medical check ups for drivers ^[2:10]
• Medical check-ups at the time of induction, every five years after the age of 45, and annually after the age of 55 ^[2:11]
• Medical checkups will be implemented for cluster bus drivers as well^[2:12]
• 6 hospitals are nominated by Delhi health department for the medical checkups^[2:13]

¶ Accident of Delhi Buses^[3:2]

Accident Causes

• The private operators keep untrained drivers^[4:3]
• Deadlines of completing 120-130km in 8 hours^[4:4]
• The drivers are also in a rush and often do not stop at smaller bus stops^[4:5]
• In many buses, the speed governors are also not functioning properly^[4:6]

References:

---

1. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/delhi-to-get-bus-management-system-by-october-101724950402231.html ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

2. https://www.indiatoday.in/cities/delhi/story/delhi-transport-department-government-bus-driver-measures-2578771-2024-08-08 ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

3. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/steps-to-prevent-bus-accidents-in-delhi/articleshow/112357598.cms ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

4. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/dtc-to-train-e-bus-drivers-in-a-bid-to-curb-accidents-101717264395441.html ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎