Drivers to manage stress, stay off crash course
They drive non-stop for 8-10 hours in a city like Delhi, which is known for its extreme weather and tough driving conditions. No wonder Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) drivers often lose patience and sometimes their control on the vehicle. Atul Mathur reports.
They drive non-stop for 8-10 hours in a city like Delhi, which is known for its extreme weather and tough driving conditions. No wonder Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) drivers often lose patience and sometimes their control on the vehicle. Concerned about the growing number of accidents, DTC has decided to conduct special classes on 'stress management' for its drivers.
Special trainers will teach drivers how to fight stress and maintain calm while on the wheels. They'll also advise them to include meditation in their daily routine. Senior DTC officials said stress management classes would be conducted at their training centre at Nand Nagari. Some other depots are also being identified for the purpose.
The DTC has also decided to conduct a day-long special classroom training for all its drivers.
Senior officials say DTC drivers - about 16,000 - are being divided into three categories. Category A will have drivers who have five or more accidents to their name. Category B will have drivers who have up to four accidents to their name. Category C will have drivers who have an impeccable record.
"We will screen a special film on road accidents and how a fatal accident affects the families of the driver and the victim. The idea is to involve drivers and tell them how important it is to drive safe and maintain an accident-free environment," said a senior DTC official. Officials said training would start soon. Both stress management and classroom training will be given to Category A drivers first. DTC officials said all drivers would undergo two-day refresher training every six months.
To check overspeeding and reckless driving, DTC has formed special squads - comprising depot managers and supervisory staff - which conducts random checks on buses and penalises the crew for violations.
"We have identified areas we get most complaints from. The enforcement teams keep a special check on those areas," said an official.