Regulations and Emissions Are the Main Failures Detected by MOT in School Buses

According to the First Study on the Technical Condition of the Spanish Fleet of Collective School Transport Vehicles presented by AECA-ITV and FESVIAL, school transport vehicles are in better condition than vehicles of their category used for other purposes. 80% of school transport vehicles in Spain pass the MOT, 7% more than other coaches and collective transport buses.

The report was presented by the Spanish Association of Collaborating Entities of the Administration in the Technical Inspection of Vehicles (AECA-ITV) and the Foundation for Road Safety (FESVIAL), on the occasion of the start of the 2024-2025 school year and the return of thousands of students to classrooms.

According to Guillermo Magaz, Managing Director of AECA-ITV, "the accident rate for school coaches is minimal; in fact, since 2012, no deaths have been recorded in road accidents related to school transport in Spain. However, to maintain safety standards, all school transport vehicles must have a valid MOT."

Magaz explained that the better performance of these types of vehicles is partly due to the younger age of school transport vehicles, with an average age of 10.1 years for coaches and 10.9 years for minibuses.

The defects most frequently detected in the MOT for school minibuses and coaches in Spain are related to compliance with regulations specific to school transport, pollutant emissions, and brakes.

The report highlights that nearly 80% of vehicles dedicated to collective school transport, including coaches and minibuses, pass the MOT. This figure is higher than the 73% positive validation received by vehicles intended for general collective transport of people, indicating that school transport vehicles are in better condition than vehicles of their category used for other purposes.

Pollutant emissions account for 13% of detected defects, indicating that a significant number of school transport vehicles are polluting more than allowed.

The third cause for rejection among school transport vehicles pertains to brake system issues, making up 13% of total defects.

This can be explained, according to Ignacio Lijarcio, Vice President of FESVIAL, because "vehicles used for school transport are generally not new; they are often repurposed from general passenger transport after several years and many kilometers. Therefore, it is crucial to raise awareness among parent-teacher associations to demand greater guarantees for their children."

Finally, the study underscores the importance of maintenance and technical inspections to ensure that vehicles intended for school transport are safe to operate. It also recommends that transportation companies, educational centers, parent-teacher associations, public administrations, and all entities committed to road safety and protection "commit to passenger safety, compliance with applicable regulations, early detection of problems, and sustainability in school transport to contribute to protecting the lives and safety of minors who rely on these vehicles daily."