Checklist · printable

School bus safety checklist

For school transport in-charges, drivers and attendants. Print it, keep a copy in each bus, and tick it off every day.

Free to copy and share within your school.

This checklist is a practical starting point, not a legal document. Requirements differ by state and by board. Check your state transport department and board (for example, CBSE) guidelines for the exact requirements that apply to your school.

Before every trip

Done by the driver and attendant, signed off by the transport desk.

Vehicle

Tyres look properly inflated, with no visible cuts or bald patches
Brakes, horn, headlights, indicators and wipers working
All doors open and close properly; emergency exit is unlocked from inside and not blocked
Seats, handrails and floor are secure, with nothing loose or sharp
Windows have the required grills or bars in place
Fire extinguisher is present, charged and within its refill date
First-aid box is stocked
GPS device is powered and reporting; panic button is not obstructed
CCTV camera (if fitted) is on and recording

Documents in the bus

Registration certificate (RC), insurance, PUC, fitness certificate and permit, valid on the day
Driver's licence valid for the vehicle class
Route list with stops and the students assigned to each stop
Emergency contacts: school transport desk, nearest hospital, local police

Driver and attendant

Driver and attendant are the ones assigned to this route
Both are fit to work: rested, sober, not unwell
Driver is in uniform with ID; attendant is on board before the first pickup
Phones are for emergencies only while the bus is moving

During the trip

On the road

Speed stays within the school's limit, and lower near schools and in traffic
The bus follows the approved route; any change is told to the transport desk first
Students board and get off only at their assigned stops, on the kerb side
Attendant checks every child is seated before the bus moves
Doors stay closed while the bus is moving
Every student is marked boarded and got off (RFID or register)

After every trip

The most important check of the day.

Left-on-bus check

Driver or attendant walks the full length of the bus, checking every seat and under the seats
Number of students who got off matches the number who boarded
Any child not handed over at their stop is reported to the transport desk at once
The bus is locked and the windows closed when parked
Any fault, incident or complaint is written in the trip log

Every month

Fleet and records

Expiry dates checked for fitness certificate, PUC, insurance, permit and road tax; renewals planned
Driver licences and verification records checked for every driver and attendant
GPS device health: each bus has reported every school day, with no long gaps or tampering alerts
Panic button tested with the transport desk, and the alert reaches the right people
Overspeed and route-deviation reports reviewed with each driver
First-aid boxes restocked; fire extinguisher pressure checked
CCTV recordings retained as per school policy

Every year

Planning and training

Routes and stops reviewed for safety and travel time
Fitness certification and permits renewed before expiry
Driver and attendant training refreshed: first aid, fire safety, child safety and emergencies
Emergency drill done on the bus with students
Transport policy shared again with parents

Talking to parents

Communication

Every parent knows their child's bus, stop and pickup time
Parents know who to call at school for transport questions (not the driver)
Parents are told about delays before they start waiting
Parents are told when their child boards and reaches school
Parental consent is on record for any tracking of their child

Make the hard parts automatic

Some checks are easy to forget on a busy morning. CatchIt can take care of several of them: it records boarding and getting off with RFID, alerts the transport desk if a student has not tapped off at the end of a trip, flags overspeed and route changes, and tells parents when the bus is close. See school bus tracking.