On this page
- What is AIS-140?
- What did MoRTH make mandatory, and from when?
- Does the rule apply to school buses?
- What is a command and control centre, and where does Haryana stand?
- How is the device linked to fitness and permits?
- Is an AIS-140 device the same as a school bus tracking app?
- What should a school check with its transport vendor?
- How DVM Techno Can Help
- FAQs
Key takeaways
- AIS-140 is the standard for the Vehicle Location Tracking (VLT) device and emergency buttons that Rule 125H requires in public service vehicles.
- MoRTH’s October 2018 notification made the device compulsory for new public service vehicles registered from 1 January 2019, with states setting dates for older ones.
- A hired contract-carriage bus is generally covered; for a school-owned bus, confirm the position with your RTO in writing.
- A parent-facing tracking app does not replace an AIS-140 device. The two do different jobs and can run side by side.
What is AIS-140?
AIS-140 is an Automotive Industry Standard for Intelligent Transportation Systems in public transport vehicles. In practice, it sets the requirements for a Vehicle Location Tracking (VLT) device and the emergency (panic) buttons connected to it. The standard dates from 2016 and has been amended since. ARAI’s current approval list refers to Amendment 1 of 11 December 2017 and Amendment 2 of 5 December 2018.
A tracker is not "AIS-140" just because a seller says so. The model must be type-approved by a testing agency named under Rule 126 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, such as ARAI or ICAT, and must pass a conformity of production (CoP) check every year. ARAI publishes a list of approved VLT devices showing each model’s type approval certificate (TAC) number and CoP validity date. The listed devices use GPS together with India’s IRNSS (NavIC) satellite system.
- Fixed hardware: the device is installed in the vehicle and sends location data over its own cellular connection.
- Emergency buttons: a press sends an alert to the state’s emergency response system, not to a private app.
- Government records: each device is registered against the vehicle on the VAHAN database.
What did MoRTH make mandatory, and from when?
The legal rule is Rule 125H of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. It requires public service vehicles to carry a VLT device and one or more emergency buttons, and MoRTH’s October 2018 notifications set 1 January 2019 as the date for new vehicles.
- 28 November 2016: notification G.S.R. 1095(E) inserted Rule 125H. A Delhi Transport Department circular of November 2024 lists the exclusions as two-wheelers, e-rickshaws, three-wheelers and any transport vehicle for which no permit is required.
- 25 October 2018: MoRTH issued S.O. 5453(E), the Motor Vehicles (Vehicle Location Tracking Device and Emergency Button) Order, 2018, and S.O. 5454(E). According to the PIB release of 31 October 2018, all new public service vehicles except auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws registered on or after 1 January 2019 must have a VLT device with emergency buttons.
- Older vehicles: for public service vehicles registered up to 31 December 2018, the same release says each state or UT notifies the date by which the device must be fitted.
- 13 May 2026: in S. Rajaseekaran v. Union of India, the Supreme Court directed states and UTs to enforce Rule 125H in new and existing public service vehicles, as reported by SCC Online.
Does the rule apply to school buses?
It depends on how the bus is registered and permitted. A bus hired from an operator on a contract-carriage permit is a public service vehicle, so Rule 125H generally applies to it. A bus the school owns falls in a separate category, so the position needs checking.
- Hired or contractor buses: Section 2(35) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 defines a public service vehicle as one carrying passengers for hire or reward, and it expressly includes contract carriages.
- School-owned buses: Section 2(11) defines an "educational institution bus" as an omnibus owned by a school or college and used solely to carry its students or staff. Rule 125H excludes transport vehicles that need no permit, so whether your own bus is covered can turn on how your state treats permits for it.
- Vans and small vehicles: maxicabs and motorcabs used for hire are public service vehicles. Three-wheelers and e-rickshaws are excluded from Rule 125H.
If an operator tells you the rule does not apply to their bus, ask for the reason in writing and check it with the RTO that registered the vehicle.
What is a command and control centre, and where does Haryana stand?
A command and control centre is the state-side system that receives VLT location data and panic alerts. Under the MoRTH framework, it can be run by the state, by device makers or by an agency the state authorises.
The PIB release says these centres connect the state emergency response centre, the transport department and RTOs, MoRTH, device makers, testing agencies and permit holders. They also feed over-speeding and device health data to VAHAN or the state database. States publish the IP address and SMS gateway of their emergency response system so that panic alerts reach it.
For Haryana, we could not find a notified retrofit deadline for older vehicles on official websites, so treat dates you hear second-hand with care. A PTI report of 23 June 2025 said the state government decided to equip all public transport vehicles with VLT devices. The Chief Minister directed officers to integrate the system with the 112 emergency service and asked for regular inspection of school buses, with challans and seizure for violations. Separately, a Faridabad report from April 2024 listed GPS and CCTV among the items checked under the Surakshit School Vahan Policy. Our Haryana school bus tracking guide covers the wider safety checks.
How is the device linked to fitness and permits?
States check the device when a public service vehicle comes for its fitness certificate. The Supreme Court’s May 2026 order goes further and ties both fitness certificates and permits to verified installation.
- Fitness checks: the 2018 PIB release says states must check fitment and working status of the VLT device during fitness certification.
- No device, no paperwork: as reported, the Court said no public service vehicle should get a fitness certificate under Section 56 or a permit under Section 66 without verified installation of the device and emergency buttons, reflected in VAHAN.
- Retrofitting: states must make sure vehicles registered up to 31 December 2018 are retrofitted.
- Working condition: PIB also says owners must keep devices working and sending data to the backend, so a dead tracker is not compliance.
For a school, the practical risk is a contracted bus failing its fitness test mid-term. Ask operators for fitness renewal dates and device status well before they fall due.
Is an AIS-140 device the same as a school bus tracking app?
No. The VLT device serves the government’s safety and enforcement system, while a parent-facing tracking app serves parents and the school office. One does not replace the other.
| Aspect | AIS-140 VLT device | Parent-facing tracking app |
|---|---|---|
| Why it exists | Legal requirement under Rule 125H for public service vehicles | School’s choice, for parent communication and transport management |
| Who sees the data | State backend, command and control centre, VAHAN, emergency response | Parents, the transport in-charge and school management |
| Panic alert goes to | State emergency response system | School and parents, as set up in the app |
| Approval | Type approval and yearly CoP by ARAI, ICAT or another Rule 126 agency | No type approval needed |
| What parents get | Usually nothing directly | Live map, arrival alerts, boarding and drop updates |
Our SchoolTrack school bus tracking app is phone-based. The driver’s phone shares the bus location, parents get pickup, drop and delay alerts, QR or RFID scans record attendance, and a one-tap SOS alerts the school and parents. It is not an AIS-140 device and does not replace one. Our post on tracking without a GPS device explains how it works.
What should a school check with its transport vendor?
Ask for documents, not assurances. A short annual check of each bus covers most of the risk. Use this checklist with every operator and for your own buses.
| Check | What to ask for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle category | Registration certificate and permit type | Shows whether Rule 125H applies to that bus |
| Device approval | Device make, model and TAC number | Match it against the ARAI or ICAT approved list |
| CoP validity | The CoP valid-up-to date for that model | Devices must pass a CoP check every year |
| VAHAN registration | Proof the device is linked to the vehicle on VAHAN | Fitness and permits now depend on it |
| Panic buttons | Number and position of buttons in the bus | AIS-140 covers where buttons are placed |
| Working status | Recent proof the device is sending data | A fitted but dead device is a fitness risk |
| Fitness and permit | Current certificates with expiry dates | Avoid a bus going off the road mid-term |
| Parent tracking | Who runs the parent app, if any, and its SOS steps | Parents need their own view, separate from the state system |
Keep copies in the transport file and repeat the check each session. Our school bus SOS guide helps you plan what happens after any alert. This post is general information, not legal advice. Confirm the rules for each vehicle with your RTO or the Haryana Transport Department.
How DVM Techno Can Help
DVM Techno is a software company with its team in Gurgaon, Haryana. SchoolTrack gives parents a live view of the bus and gives your office one dashboard for every route, alongside whatever AIS-140 device the vehicle carries. SchoolTrack’s FAQ says schools can also connect GPS devices they already have, so ask us about your specific device. If you run our School ERP, SchoolTrack can connect with it. Call +91-8448523313 for a demo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AIS-140 mandatory for school buses in Haryana?
Rule 125H requires a VLT device and emergency buttons in public service vehicles, which generally covers buses hired on contract-carriage permits. MoRTH set 1 January 2019 for new vehicles, and states set dates for older ones. A school-owned educational institution bus is a separate category, so confirm its position with your RTO or the Haryana Transport Department. This is general information, not legal advice.
Can a mobile tracking app replace an AIS-140 device?
No. An AIS-140 device is type-approved hardware that sends data and panic alerts to the state’s backend and is checked at fitness certification. A phone-based tracking app gives parents a live map and alerts but has no type approval. Where the rule applies to a bus, it needs the approved device. The app can still run alongside it for parents and the school office.
Who receives the alert when an AIS-140 panic button is pressed?
The alert goes to the state’s emergency response system through the backend the state has set up. MoRTH’s framework requires states to publish the IP address and SMS gateway of that system for VLT devices. In Haryana, a June 2025 PTI report said the Chief Minister directed integration with the 112 emergency service. Schools should ask the operator to explain the alert path for their buses.
How can a school check that a tracker is genuinely AIS-140 approved?
Ask the operator for the device make, model and type approval certificate (TAC) number. Then compare them with the approved lists published by ARAI or ICAT, which show each model’s CoP validity date. Also ask for proof that the device is registered against the vehicle on VAHAN and is currently sending data. A sticker or a seller’s claim is not enough.
Is SchoolTrack an AIS-140 certified device?
No. SchoolTrack is a phone-based school bus tracking app from DVM Techno. The driver’s phone shares the bus location with parents and the school, with arrival alerts, QR or RFID attendance and a driver SOS button. It is not an AIS-140 VLT device and does not replace one. Where the rule applies, fit an approved device and use SchoolTrack alongside it.
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