School bus fitness test: Only 16 out of 60 cleared in Ernakulam

Kakkanad: Shining paintwork on the outside, polished bodies, and all documents perfectly clear. Lights, wipers, GPS — everything appeared ready. While parked, the buses seemed to score “full marks.” But when the RTO himself got behind the wheel to personally test-drive for fitness verification, the truth came out in the open.

As multiple technical defects surfaced, Ernakulam RTO KR Suresh refused fitness certificates to 44 school buses without making a single compromise.

The buses will have to return after fixing the defects. With only days left for schools to reopen, the first phase of inspections for school buses was conducted on Wednesday at the CF test ground on Seaport-Airport Road. Out of the 60 buses presented for inspection, only 16 that met all safety standards received fitness certificates on the first day. Special safety stickers issued by the Motor Vehicles Department were affixed on these buses.

Fitness went up in smoke

The inspection began around 8 am under the leadership of Ernakulam RTO KR Suresh and a team of officials. In the initial stage, parked vehicles were thoroughly checked for tyres, wipers, headlights, brake lights, doors, window shutters, GPS, fire safety systems, and speed governors.

However, the fate of many buses changed when the RTO himself sat in the driver’s seat and drove the vehicles as part of the final inspection.

After serious technical issues were noticed in the first few buses, the RTO ordered that every single bus must be driven and inspected before granting fitness approval. That decision led to the failure of majority of buses brought for testing.

Only 16 buses managed to return with a “full A-plus” clearance. The second phase of inspections for buses that missed the first round or those that rectify defects will be held on May 23.