📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Virendrahonda
Education
Maharashtra Introduces Live Tracking, CCTV, and Fare Caps on School Buses
✍️ The Indian Express
🗓 19 Jul 2026, 01:19 PM
👁 1
The Maharashtra government has rolled out new regulations mandating live GPS tracking, CCTV surveillance, and capped fares for school buses to enhance child safety and curb cost hikes.
The state’s Ministry of Education announced a comprehensive set of rules for school bus operators, effective from the upcoming academic year. Under the new framework, every school bus must be fitted with a GPS tracking unit that streams real‑time location data to a central dashboard monitored by school authorities.
In addition to tracking, operators are required to install CCTV cameras inside the vehicle. The footage will be recorded and stored for a minimum of 30 days, allowing parents and school officials to review incidents if they arise.
A key component of the policy is the capping of fares. The government has set a maximum fare per kilometer that bus operators cannot exceed, aiming to prevent arbitrary price hikes that have previously burdened families.
The regulations also stipulate that operators submit monthly reports on mileage, fuel consumption, and maintenance records. Schools will receive a compliance certificate after a third‑party audit of each bus.
Parents have welcomed the move, citing increased transparency and safety. School administrators, meanwhile, note that the new requirements will require initial investment but are expected to reduce long‑term costs through better maintenance and accountability.
In addition to tracking, operators are required to install CCTV cameras inside the vehicle. The footage will be recorded and stored for a minimum of 30 days, allowing parents and school officials to review incidents if they arise.
A key component of the policy is the capping of fares. The government has set a maximum fare per kilometer that bus operators cannot exceed, aiming to prevent arbitrary price hikes that have previously burdened families.
The regulations also stipulate that operators submit monthly reports on mileage, fuel consumption, and maintenance records. Schools will receive a compliance certificate after a third‑party audit of each bus.
Parents have welcomed the move, citing increased transparency and safety. School administrators, meanwhile, note that the new requirements will require initial investment but are expected to reduce long‑term costs through better maintenance and accountability.