The Vietnamese Ministry of Transport is soliciting feedback on draft national technical regulations on safety, quality, and environmental standards for cars, which include the stipulation that school buses must be painted dark yellow.

In addition to uniform paint, school buses will be mandated to display signage on their front and sides, clearly identifying them as school buses.

They would be required to have stop signs on their rears warning drivers not to pass while students are boarding or disembarking. 

The draft calls on school buses to be equipped with interior rear-view mirrors and CCTV systems for monitoring both the passenger and driver’s areas, as well as external cameras for monitoring activity around the bus doors during student pick-up and drop-off.

If passed, the regulation would require that school buses be equipped with a siren or emergency alarm system to warn if students are left unattended in the vehicle for more than 15 minutes. 

Students would not be permitted to sit in the front row of the bus and seats from the second row onward would be required to have two-point seat belts.

General safety would need to be considered, including ensuring that school buses are free of holes, sharp corners, and protrusions which might hurt student. 

They would need to be equipped with first aid kits, emergency warning switches, and fire extinguishers.

Double-decker and articulated buses would not be permitted to be used as school buses while school buses would not be allowed to drive in excess of 80 km/h or host more than 45 kindergarteners or 56 elementary and middle school students. 

Transportation for students can be organized by educational institutions or transportation businesses. 

Another draft law specifies a maximum service life of 15 years for school buses.

School bus drivers must have a minimum of two years of experience in passenger transport.

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