Revised School Bus Rules in Maharashtra: GPS, CCTV, Digital Attendance and Seat Belts Made Mandatory
Pune, 27th July 2026: The Maharashtra government has notified the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles (School Bus Regulation) (First Amendment) Rules, 2026, introducing stricter safety norms for school buses and student transport vehicles. The revised rules, published in the Maharashtra Government Gazette on July 16, 2026, will have to be implemented within three months.
Under the amended rules, the maximum permissible age of school buses and school vans for obtaining permits has been increased from 15 years to 20 years from the date of vehicle registration in all parts of the state except the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The amendments also empower the respective Regional Transport Authorities (RTAs) to determine school bus fares.
The new regulations make it mandatory for all school buses and vehicles transporting students to be equipped with a Vehicle Location Tracking Device (VLTD) with a panic button, fire detection and alarm system, CCTV cameras, and a digital safety monitoring system. Operators must also provide a mobile application with live vehicle tracking, maintain digital attendance records of students, and have a parent notification system to update guardians about students’ travel.
Additionally, CCTV footage must be preserved for a minimum of 30 days, and seat belts for every passenger seat have been made mandatory. The state government has directed that all these safety measures be implemented within the stipulated three-month period.
