Hub-type Nolbom Centers Also Operate Children's School Buses... Establishing System Improvement Measures

The National Police Agency will improve the system starting in May to allow students at out-of-school "Geojunghyeong Neulbom Centers" operated by education (support) offices to use children's school buses.

This reflects the regulatory improvement requests made by the Incheon Office of Education during the 2nd Neulbom School Inter-Ministerial Support Headquarters meeting in March 2024 for the out-of-school "Geojunghyeong Neulbom Centers."

Under the current Road Traffic Act, facilities authorized to operate children's school buses are limited to 18 types specified in 11 laws, including elementary schools and private academies. Accordingly, although the out-of-school "Geojunghyeong Neulbom Centers" are managed by education (support) offices and care for students from multiple schools within the district, they lacked legal grounds to register children's school buses.

The National Police Agency will improve the system through "active administration" to allow registration and operation of children's school buses for out-of-school "Geojunghyeong Neulbom Centers" for one year, and will also work with the Ministry of Education and others to concurrently promote amendments to the Road Traffic Act.

With the ability to use children's school buses during school commuting hours, the traffic safety of children using Neulbom Centers will be secured, and practical care for children during after-school hours is expected to become possible.

Going forward, school commuting vehicles of Geojunghyeong Neulbom Centers will be equipped with necessary structures and devices for children's school buses, such as child protection signs, seat belt indicators, rear pedestrian safety devices, disembarkation confirmation devices, and maximum speed limiters.

Operators and drivers will also be required to regularly receive children's school bus safety education and must have accompanying guardians on board to protect children during bus operation and boarding and alighting.

An official from the National Police Agency stated, "With the registration of children's school buses at Geojunghyeong Neulbom Centers now possible, we urge active registration by centers that require school bus operation for long-distance commuting. We also ask general drivers to always stop temporarily and check their surroundings if there is a children's school bus nearby."