Why BEST trainers find it a challenge to train wet-lease drivers

Most of the wet-lease drivers are used to driving heavy vehicles, which is why it takes a while to familiarise them with driving public buses responsibly

MUMBAI: When a Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking’s driver drove an e-bus over pedestrians and vehicles nearly 10 days ago in a busy Kurla street, killing eight and injuring 41, attention was drawn on the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) decreed by the transport body and the quality training given to drivers. Investigation into the incident revealed that the driver Sanjay More was trained only for three days to transition from a manual to e-bus, against the mandate of a four-week training.

Mumbai, India - Dec. 17, 2024: This BEST Training Center in Dindoshi is the only one where the authorities train 5400 drivers each year. They have 3 days of learning sessions for new drivers from wet lease operators while one day refresher course for their own drivers in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, December 17, 2024. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

This reporter spent an afternoon at BEST’s training centre in Dindoshi and came away with the knowledge that the training offered to BEST’s own drivers and wet-lease drivers are dissimilar driven by many factors. The centre does not provide on-ground training.

BEST drivers spend a day here every 12-18 months in the company of trainers for a refresher course. There is a separate batch for wet-lease drivers who undergo three days of training at the same centre, as did Sanjay More.

BEST drivers’ refresher course are for a limited period as they are an experienced lot. However, sources said, trainers find it a challenge to train wet-lease drivers as most of them are used to driving heavy vehicles such as trucks, tempos and tankers. As they are used to different circumstances on the road, it takes a while to familiarise them with driving public buses responsibly.

The centre has two separate batches for BEST and wet-lease drivers. While the former drivers are trained on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, the latter lot is trained on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Wet-lease drivers are trained regularly but in manual transmission as there is no documented SOP to train them for e-buses. The closest they come to practical training here is when a skeleton of a bus engine is presented to them to show the functions when they speed, apply brakes or change gears.

“At any given day we teach 30-60 students in each classroom. When the wet-lease model came into play, we were not sure about the training that was being provided to the drivers. It is only over a couple of years that the wet-lease drivers have been roped in for training here,” said a BEST official. As part of the three-day course, the drivers are taught about the organisation, etiquette with passengers, defensive driving techniques, identifying blind spots, ways to save fuel while driving, among other things. The training begins after an hour of meditation.

The theoretical discourse is combined with power-point presentations on road safety and videos. They are also taught how to behave with passengers, halting the bus in case a passenger is seen waving and running towards them, waiting for a longer period in case senior citizens are boarding, and refraining from using tobacco products before, during the journey or afterwards.

“Inculcating discipline into wet-lease drivers is a challenge. We find them with stashes of cigarettes or gutka packets which we confiscate. We try to educate them on the harms of consuming tobacco products but the recent videos of BEST drivers carrying liquor bottles was heart-breaking and all our efforts to train them seemed nullified,” said a trainer.

Most trainers are experts in automobile engineering and road safety, as they have worked for Regional Transport Offices in the past or automobile companies; some are retired BEST drivers, backed by years of knowledge.

A wet-lease driver, who did not wish to be named, said when he joined the organisation four years ago, BEST did not offer any training module. “The training provided to us in the last two years was a good move. We expect to be trained on new buses as well. Due to an increase in the bus routes, operators are now prioritising drivers’ skills; it would also help if they improve our salaries as it would boost our morale and we can focus on our job,” he said. He added, while they are promised between ₹20,000- ₹22,000, they are paid only ₹16,500 at the beginning which go up to ₹18,000.

AV Shenoy, member, Mumbai Mobility Forum, said, “BEST should ensure the same standard of training is imparted to their own and wet-lease drivers. The undertaking should also assess the abilities of the drivers – if they have a valid licence to drive heavy vehicles.”