Technical equipment for educational and specialized transportation buses

Introduction

The General Transport Authority announced Technical equipment for educational and specialized transportation buses And she stipulated Regulations governing educational transfer activity issued from Public Transport Authority, which will come into effect on the first of next December, will provide an electronic screen, for the purpose of displaying the data of the carrier, the driver, the bus, the bus operating card number, contact numbers for reporting lost items and complaints, the route of the trip, the destination, the time remaining for arrival, and others. It must be installed and installed in the middle directly behind the front seats on the roof of the bus from the inside and directed to the passengers, with an internal camera linked to the “DVR” device, directed towards the driver. The device is linked to the Authority’s electronic systems through the bus equipment service provider, and the driver’s behaviors are monitored while driving. Or when there is a report or traffic accident, and the camera must operate immediately after the bus is started and for the duration of its operation.

Date of implementation of technical equipment requirements for transport buses

The authority explained in the guideline for practicing educational transportation activity that the second phase will be implemented starting from June 22 of next year 2023, and stated that the conditions for vehicles allowed to operate in practicing the activity are cars with seats not less than 7 and not more than 9, provided that it does not exceed Its age is 5 years from the year of manufacture. It also includes small buses, whose capacity does not exceed 15 passengers, provided that their age does not exceed 10 years from the year of manufacture, and large buses whose capacity exceeds 15 passengers, provided that their age does not exceed 10 years from the year of manufacture. It stipulated that The type of registration of the bus or car shall be “public transport” or “public bus”, and the technical specifications and equipment inside the vehicle must be applied in the regulations governing the activity, and the following are the technical specifications and equipment for transport buses as stated on the Authority’s website:

Technical specifications and equipment for transport buses and the necessary safety requirements:

Taking into account the conformity procedures based on the relevant standard specifications approved by the Saudi Organization for Standardization, Metrology and Quality, and the provisions of the regulations governing the educational transfer activity. The specifications of the buses operating in the educational transport activity are required to be according to the following:

1- The total length shall not exceed (12.50) meters, the total width shall not be more than (2.6) meters, and the total height shall not exceed (4.50) meters.

2- The vehicle used in mountainous or sandy areas must be equipped with a four-wheel drive system.

3- The type of bus registration must be public transport or a public bus, except for the vehicle used by the licensee in the government educational transport system.

4- The number of car seats shall not be less than (7) and not more than (9) seats.

5- The number of bus seats shall not be less than (10), including the driver’s seat, and the bus is divided into two types:

Minibus: which has a capacity not exceeding (10) passengers.

Big bus: which has a capacity of more than (10) passengers.

6- The bus must be equipped with an air conditioning system (hot/cold) that works with high efficiency.

7- The presence of an emergency exit on large buses.

8- The floor of the bus lanes shall be made or covered with a material that prevents slipping.

9 - That none of the internal or external parts of the bus constitute a danger to the passengers.

10- The presence of a ring installed in the chassis of the large bus (chassis) from the front, for the possibility of towing it in the event of its breakdown.

11- Ensure the availability and validity of the necessary safety tools and requirements in the vehicle:

Fire extinguishers, in number and size, are commensurate with the type of vehicle supplied to the vehicle by the manufacturer.

- first aid kit.

Fire blankets.

Safety triangle.

Spare tire.

- Manual winch, wheel wrench and quick repair kit.

– A tool to break the glass from the inside when needed, which is supplied with the bus from the manufacturer.

Safety vest with reflective tapes for the driver. facilities, if any.

General technical conditions and equipment for vehicles (buses and cars):

A- Installing a plate or placing a no-smoking sign inside the vehicle.

b- The specified maximum speed sign shall be displayed on the back of the bus.

C- Availability of auxiliary handles for getting on and off the bus, which are installed on the bus doors. With the exception of buses with sliding doors.

D- A sign (School Bus) shall be available in reflective color on the sides and back of the bus.

E- Writing the bus number of the carrier on the front and back of the bus.

f- Writing the telephone number of the customer service call center of the establishment or educational institution on the back of the bus.

G- Providing an audio system inside the bus to announce or speak to passengers.

H- Provide an AVL Tracking System. It allows immediate and direct tracking of the vehicle throughout the day, as the system has the following data and capabilities:

1- Determine the exact location of the vehicle, whether it is moving or stationary, at a transmission rate according to the following variables:

– If the vehicle is moving, the transmission time shall be every (30) thirty seconds as a maximum, or after the vehicle has covered a distance of 20 twenty meters, whichever is closer.

In the event of a turn at an angle of (45) forty-five degrees or more, the transmission time shall be every (5) five seconds.

– If the vehicle is stationary and in running mode, the transmission time is every (5) five minutes.

2- The ability to send an alert in the event of a system failure, or the inability to send tracking data immediately after transmission is interrupted.

3- Store the location and track data in the event of a network connection failure and re-transmit it as soon as the connection is restored.

4- Determine the speed of the vehicle during the operating and driving period.

5- Determine the number of stops. And the time of the pause period and the duration of each period.

6- Determine the total number of driving hours for a vehicle for a specific period.

7- Determine the status of the tracking device in the vehicle (good if it is in motion). (sound if the movement stops). (Invalid if it is out of coverage - disabled).

8- Keeping the tracks and movements of the vehicle for a minimum period of six months. With the authority's access to it upon request, with the possibility of reviewing the entire flight path according to the specified time and date.

9- Sending an alert in case of tampering with any of the system components or tampering with the transmitted data.

10- Sending an alert in the event of a vehicle traffic accident.

Technical conditions and equipment for transport buses according to the number of seats:

a. Minibus (with a capacity not exceeding (10) passengers):

1- The general technical conditions and equipment mentioned in item (Second) apply.

2- The bus must be equipped with frequent stop signs at the back.

3- Provision of (1) 16-inch electronic screen. For the purpose of displaying the data of the carrier, the driver, the bus, the number of the operating card for the bus, and contact numbers for reporting lost and complaints, and the itinerary

destination, remaining time of arrival, and more. It is installed and installed in the middle directly behind the front seats on the roof of the bus from the inside and is directed to passengers, and the following is observed in it: (Arabic and English language support, minimum screen resolution of 480,800 dpi, memory with a capacity of not less than 32 GB, and contains a minimum of one USB port, and withstands high temperatures (up to 80 degrees Celsius).

4- One (1) internal camera linked to a DVR device directed towards the driver, with the device linked to the Authority's electronic systems through a bus equipment service provider qualified by the Authority. So that the driver's behavior can be monitored while driving or when there is a report or a traffic accident, God forbid. And the camera should work immediately after the bus is running and for the duration of its operation. It can withstand high temperatures (up to 80 degrees Celsius).

b. Big bus (with a capacity of more than (10) passengers:

1- The general technical conditions and equipment mentioned in item (Second) apply.

2- Availability of the (emergency exit) sign inside the bus.

3- Provision of (2) 16-inch electronic screens:

The first (front) screen: It is installed and fixed behind the front seats directly in the roof of the bus from the inside, and above the bus aisle. It is intended for passengers in the front seats of the bus.

The second screen (rear): It is installed in the middle of the bus, above the bus lane, and is directed to the passengers in the back seats of the bus.

For the purpose of displaying the data of the carrier, the driver, the bus, the number of the operating card for the bus, contact numbers for reporting lost and complaints, the flight path, the destination, the time remaining for arrival, and others. The following shall be taken into consideration: (Arabic and English language support, a minimum screen resolution of 480,800 dpi, a memory capacity of no less than 32 GB, and contain a minimum of one USB port, and withstand high temperatures (up to 80 degrees Celsius).

4- Two (2) internal cameras linked to a DVR device, with the device linked to the authority's electronic systems through the bus equipment service provider qualified by the authority. And the camera should work immediately after the bus is running and for the duration of its operation. It can withstand high temperatures (up to 80 degrees Celsius), and the distribution of cameras is as follows: 

• The first camera: directed towards the driver, so that the driver's behavior can be monitored while driving or when there is a report or a traffic accident, God forbid.
• The second camera is directed towards the bus route, and it is at the front of the bus.

5- The bus should be equipped with frequent stop signs, which should be clearly marked in red on the back of the bus 

6- The presence of a light indicator system that is not less than the following security features: (a double red light indicator on the top of the bus from the front and the back, a double yellow light indicator on the top of the bus from the front and the back) in buses with more than 30 seats.

7- Writing the phrase “School Bus” for school buses, or “Collage Bus” for college and college students’ buses, or “University Bus” for university students’ buses, provided that it is in black in Arabic and English and in (ARIAL) font, in letters not less than (20) twenty centimeters in height, and to be written between the upper warning lights or as high as possible on the front and back and in the middle of the sides of the bus. 

8- The color of the exterior paint must be in accordance with the approved international code number (PANTONE PROCESS CMYK “200 Yellow C” FFF 0,0,100,0)

9- The parking arm is available on the outside side directly behind the driver's door, and it must include the word (STOP).