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Bus drivers will need PTT before hitting the road
View(s):Private bus drivers and conductors will soon have to possess a certificate of Passenger Transport Training (PTT) from the Motor Traffic Department (MTD) before getting on the job.
Commissioner General, A.H.K Jagath said that the department has launched a programme to educate crews of private busses in order to provide an efficient service to the public.
Accordingly all bus drivers and conductors will have to follow a four day training workshop conducted by the MTD where road rules and safe driving practices will be taught.
The course which will include knowledge of road signals, road safety, respect for passengers and first aid practices in case of an emergency and will also teach technical training to cope with sudden breakdowns that may occur.
He said that this has become necessary in view of the increasing number of accidents on the roads every day and also due to the increasing number of private buses plying on the roads.
Also he said many youngsters starting the job without proper training in driving and conducting a passenger carrying bus is compounding the problem.
Traffic police statistics indicate that in the first seven months of this year alone 21,493 accidents have taken place country wide with 1,686 people dying on the roads.
The MTD has already trained around 400 personnel in a pilot project and certificates have been granted. The men are selected and sent by the National Transport Commission for the course.
The project which has become very successful is expected to be launched countrywide shortly. “Soon no one will be able to drive or conduct buses without a PTT qualification,” Jagath said.
He added that the training will appeal to the psychology of the bus crew and make them efficient crew members catering to the needs of the public.