Kollam, Kerala: The number of school buses in the state has increased remarkably, with a 40–45% rise over the past five years. During fitness inspections this year, around 20–25% more buses were reported in some districts.

According to Motor Vehicles Department data, there are now over 23,000 school vehicles in the state, compared with fewer than 20,000 last year.

Nearly 9,000 buses inspected this year belong to CBSE schools. The remaining vehicles are owned by aided and unaided schools. In addition, a large number of contract vehicles owned by private individuals are also being used to ferry students to schools.

Ernakulam district operates the highest number of school vehicles, followed by Thiruvananthapuram, Malappuram and Kozhikode. Wayanad and Idukki report the lowest numbers.

The rise of public schools with their own buses began after such institutions started using MLA funds and CSR allocations. Many aided schools, facing enrolment concerns due to lack of transport facilities, began purchasing buses or hiring vehicles. An additional objective has been to bring students from distant areas to maintain divisions.

Parents are increasingly preferring school buses over autorickshaws and private vans, citing safety concerns. Alongside the increase in vehicles, the General Education Department and Motor Vehicles Department have implemented stricter safety regulations.

Drivers and staff must now obtain police clearance certificates to ensure no criminal background. A minimum of 10 years’ driving experience is also required for school bus drivers.

In addition to official school buses, private vans and autorickshaws displaying ‘on school duty’ boards continue to operate actively across all districts.