When bus operators take to heart traffic safety awareness, bus journey can become a pleasure.
P.K. Mohammed Shafi, a bus operator, introduced a unique concept in bus transport when he launched his new bus on the Manjeri-Tirur route on Wednesday.
Instead of placing religious symbols in the front of the vehicle, Mr. Shafi placed the front page of the Indian Constitution in Malayalam in the space.
Mr. Shafi’s Laverna bus will continue to spread the messages of road safety every day.
All passengers who travelled on Laverna on Wednesday were given booklets about road safety. The first day’s ride was free as well. A television screen fitted in the front shows pictures and messages on
road safety frequently. A road safety personal message by filmmaker Siddique is the highlight of a series of messages on the TV screen.
The bus has a water kiosk in it. Fitted with GPS, the bus announces the names of places it passes through. Laverna claims to be totally student-friendly. “We don’t want the students to be harassed. We are
offering free ride for all students up to the 7th Standard. And higher students will have to pay their concessional rates only. We will never discriminate against them,” said Mr. Shafi.
Inaugurating the service at Tirur bus-stand, Sub Collector Rajeev Kumar Choudhary called upon other services to emulate Mr. Shafi’s initiative on road safety. He said road safety had become a matter of utmost importance.
DySP Suresh Babu, Joint Regional Transport Officer M. Anvar, and Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School Principal, Sr. Ancilla George, spoke.
Mr. Shafi had been in the news a few months ago when he plied his bus on a hartal day to help the students who were writing their exams on the day. Nearly 800 students benefited from Mr. Shafi’s service on that day.
