To curb accidents involving school buses in Ranchi, the district transport office has started a special training for drivers and helpers.

Experts from Tata Motors and National Motor Training Institute have been roped in for the sessions.

Transport managers, drivers and helpers from 20 reputable CBSE institutions took the safety lessons at Delhi Public School in Satellite Colony last week. Again on Monday, St Xavier's School in Doranda hosted a three-hour training for similar candidates from 15 ICSE cradles.

"Trainers from the two agencies taught school bus drivers how to ensure safety of children," Nagendra Paswan, district transport officer (DTO), said .

With bus drivers often being accused of negligence on the road, the DTO contacted the schools last month and requested them to send their transport personnel for the training.

"The training will continue and be held once in six months. The DAV Group have also given its consent to organise the sessions at DAV-Hehal," Paswan said.

Talking on the salient features of the programme, Paswan said the primary focus was obviously on safe driving habits. "The secondary focus is on what to do in an emergency. Tips are being given on crisis planning and use of common sense to prevent and manage violence inside or outside the bus," he said.

The district transport office has sought details from all city schools about their transport system, number of buses owned and human resource.

"We have also categorically asked schools to provide information about buses aged 15 years or more. After taking details, we will start scanning them. This will help in ensuring safety of schoolchildren," Paswan said, adding that drivers and helpers of private vehicles that ferry students would be trained in the future.