Ctg set to step into 'smart school bus' era
Even though this fleet of advanced school buses is reminiscent of innovations often associated with developed nations, it will soon weave through the streets of our own port city of Chattogram.
Imagine a revolutionary transformation in the daily journey of students: The moment a student steps onto the school bus, a symphony of technology comes alive. A tap of his smart card sets the wheels in motion, triggering a message that races to his guardians' devices, detailing the departure point and time.
But that is not all. As the student bids adieu to the bus at the end of his trip, another message zips through the digital realm, pinpointing the drop-off location and time, ensuring safety at every step.
Transportation transcendence does not stop there. Guardians can also monitor their children's movement through IP cameras installed in the bus and track the location of the bus through a GPS tracker.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Gone are the days of fumbling for cash in a pocket or backpack. With a seamless flourish, the students' smart cards double as a fare-taming magician. Rechargeable through familiar platforms such as bKash or Nagad, these smart cards wave farewell to traditional transactions. The fare vanishes from the card as effortlessly as it appeared, all thanks to the enchantment of automation.
Even though this fleet of advanced school buses is reminiscent of innovations often associated with developed nations, it will soon weave through the streets of our own port city of Chattogram.
Envisioned as a crucial step towards transforming Chattogram into the country's first smart district, the district administration has undertaken a project to transform 10 double-decker school buses with 78 seats each, which are already plying five routes in the city, into smart buses by adopting modern technology. An app, the orchestrator of this modern marvel, is already in the works.
Abdul Malek, additional deputy commissioner (IT and Education) of Chattogram, told The Business Standard, "We have submitted a project for transforming school buses into smart school buses to the Aspire to Innovate (a2i) – a multinational digital transformation catalyst from the government of Bangladesh – as part of a nationwide competition. If we win the competition, we will be allotted Tk1 crore to implement the smart school bus project."
He mentioned that it will cost Tk4-5 lakh to transform a bus into a smart bus.
The development of apps and the registration process of the students is underway now, Malek noted, adding that the completion of all procedures and the launch of the service will take one to two months.
"We currently operate 10 double-decker buses on five routes from Bahaddarhat-Muradpur to Newmarket via Chowkbazar-Gani Bakery-Jamalkhan-Cheragi Pahar-Andarkilla-Laldighi Kotwali and from Oxygen to Muradpur-2 no. gate-GEC-Tiger Pass. Nevertheless, there are several schools in Halisahar, Barapole, EPZ, and Mohra areas of the city without school bus services. We are planning to double the number of buses and expand to cover these routes as well," he added further.
Abul Bashar Mohammad Fakhruzzaman, deputy commissioner of Chattogram, noted that due to concerns about safety and security on public buses, many guardians avoid sending their children to school alone.
He explained, "Guardians manage time from their busy schedule to take their children to school and bring them back home. This situation forces many working mothers to quit their jobs. With the introduction of smart buses, guardians will not have to worry about safety, as they can monitor their children's movement through IP cameras and GPS trackers."
"We have taken on the challenge of making Chattogram the first smart district in the country. Thus, we aim to establish a significant presence through these smart school bus projects," he stated, expressing his desire to establish the project as a sustainable business model.
The authorities have already requested the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) to allocate 10 more buses, allowing them to expand the service to additional routes, he added.
He expressed hope that the project would alleviate traffic congestion in the city and save guardians' time.
Minhaz Chowdhury, chief coordinator of the school bus monitoring team, told TBS, "Students need to register to avail themselves of the smart bus services, and there will be no registration fees. We have initiated the registration process and distributed over 3000 forms among the students."
Students have shown an enthusiastic response, he mentioned, adding, "They are eagerly waiting to receive the smart cards for the first-ever launch of smart bus services in the country."
In the past, the Chattogram district administration introduced dedicated bus services for students in the city with 10 double-decker buses presented by the prime minister in January 2020 to ensure student safety on the roads. These buses have been effectively transporting 2,000-3,000 students along five routes on weekdays for the past three years.
"We anticipate that an additional 10 smart buses will double the capacity," Minhaz further remarked.
Nurul Azim Rony, former student leader and general secretary of Chattogram city unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League, who advocated for school bus services, told TBS, "Students often face transportation crises on their way to and from school, making them susceptible to road accidents. We demanded dedicated bus services for city students. Responding to our plea, the prime minister provided Chattogram with 10 double-decker buses. We are profoundly grateful to her for her swift response."
"The smart school bus project will mark another significant achievement for the port city," he concluded.
