Transportation Safety Management Efforts

Transportation Safety Management Efforts

April 1, 2024

FY2023 Chuo Kotsu Co., Ltd. (Okinawa)
Transportation Safety Management

  1. Basic Policy on Transportation Security

    1. Top management will take a leading role in ensuring that all employees know and thoroughly understand that “transportation safety is the foundation of our company.”
    2. Top management will provide daily education to all employees to ensure that they recognize that compliance with laws and regulations and ensuring transportation safety are of utmost importance.
    3. Top management is keenly aware that “safety is fragile and can easily break down if ignored,” and is committed to taking a leadership role in “enhancing security measures.”
  2. Priority measures for transportation safety

    1. The company will ensure that all employees are aware that ensuring transportation safety is of the utmost importance and that all relevant laws, regulations and safety management rules are complied with.
    2. The company will strive to make positive and effective expenditures and investments in transportation safety.
    3. The company will conduct internal audits of transportation safety and take corrective or preventive measures as necessary.
    4. The company will develop specific transportation safety education and training programs and implement them appropriately.
  3. Transportation Safety Goals and Achievements

    1. Number of Accidents

      FY2023 (April 2022 to March 2023)

      Classification Goal Achievement
      Accidents involving bodily injury In-car accident 0 0
      Serious injury accident 0 0
      Fatal accident 0 0
      Accidents involving property damage 2 9
      Reversing accidents 0 0
      Health-related accidents 0 0
      Drunk driving 0 0

      FY2024 (April 2023 to March 2024)

      Classification Goal
      Accidents involving bodily injury In-car accident 0
      Serious injury accident 0
      Fatal accident 0
      Accidents involving property damage 2 or less
      Reversing accidents 0
      Health-related accidents 0
      Drunk driving 0

      Accident statistics for bodily injury or property damage are for accidents where the driver is responsible.

    2. Accidents specified in Article 2 of the Automobile Accident Reporting Ordinance (Serious accidents that must be reported to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism)

      FY2023: 0 fatal accidents, 0 serious injury accidents, 0 accidents involving passenger injury

    3. Accidents caused by driver health

      FY2023: 0

  4. Transportation Safety Plan

    1. Hold Transportation Safety Management Meetings

      We hold a Transportation Safety Management Meeting at least once a year with members of the Safety Management Committee (President, Chief Safety Management Officer, General Operations Manager, Operations Manager, and Maintenance Manager) to establish and maintain a safety management system that allows all managers to share necessary information and issues.

    2. Driver Education Plan

      All drivers are trained in accordance with the annual training program.

      Month Education items
      Safety instruction and supervision implementation Guidelines Health management Practical skills training Other
      April ◎Preparing to drive a bus
      • The social role of bus operations
      • Appointing bus drivers
      • The social impact of bus accidents
      • Safe driving attitudes
      SAS test
      (every two years)
      Driving skills check Effective promotion of the national spring traffic safety campaign
      Terrorism Countermeasures
      May ◎Ensuring operational and passenger safety
      • Complying with laws and regulations governing the operation of passenger vehicles
      • Laws and regulations regarding driving a car
      • Laws and regulations concerning vehicle management
      • Respecting operating guidelines
      • Crime prevention measures for bus transportation
      • Sharing Situational Awareness and Hazard Anticipation Utilizing Near Miss Information
      Basic vehicle inspections, etc. Response method based on the “Bus hijacking Uniform Response Manual”
      June ◎Ensuring safety when getting on and off the bus
      • Ensuring passenger safety and precautions when getting on and off the bus
      • Proper operation of bus doors and examples of accidents
      • Ensuring safety when getting on and off the bus for the elderly and disabled
      Health check
      (once a year)
      Brain MRI
      (every two years)
      How to check the operation of air conditioning
      July ◎How to drive a vehicle equipped with safety devices
      • Points to note about the role and performance of driving aids
      • Overconfidence and incorrect use of driving aids
      • Examples of accidents involving driving aids
      Emergency lifesaving training Summer Driving Safety Seminar1
      Promoting summer transportation safety checks
      August Information sharing and hazard prediction using accident and near miss information recorded on in-vehicle drive recorders
      • Reconfirming the operation of drive recorders
      • Safe driving through the use of drive recorders
      • Sharing and using drive recorder records

      ◎The utilization of near-miss information recorded on the in-vehicle data recorder for situational sharing and hazard anticipation within the company

      1 Accident trends in 2022

      1 Prevention of drug abuse such as dangerous drugs and stimulants

      1 Thoroughly prohibiting the use of mobile phones and smartphones while on board

      • Emergency lifesaving training
      • About hospitality etiquette
      September ◎The importance of health management
      • Examples of health-related accidents and key points for health management

      Key points on health management based on the results of health checks in June and July

      • Driving skill confirmation
      • Hino Motors

      Safe driving course

      October ◎Physiological and psychological factors of drivers involved in traffic accidents
      and how to deal with them
      • Physiological and psychological factors in traffic accidents
      • Points to consider to prevent overwork
      • Stopping driving if you feel unwell, overworked or drowsy
      • Points to consider to prevent dangerous driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
      • Preventing human error
      Effective promotion of the national fall traffic safety campaign
      November ◎Ensuring the safety of passengers on board
      • Not overtaking on curves
      • Ensuring a safe speed and adequate distance between vehicles
      • Telling passengers to sit while the bus is moving and ensuring they wear their seat belt
      • Sharing Situational Awareness and Hazard Anticipation Utilizing Near Miss Information
      December ◎Assessing road and traffic conditions along major routes
      • Knowing the road and traffic conditions along the route
      • Getting information ahead of time to choose the best route
      • Points to consider for safe driving based on information
      Basic vehicle inspections, etc. Motor transport at Year-end and New Year's
      Winter Safety Seminar2
      January Structural characteristics of buses
      • Driving based on bus characteristics and vehicle classification
      • Vehicle height, length, width, blind spots, inside wheel differential and braking distance
      • Blind spots on buses, visibility limitations of rear view cameras, etc.

      2 How to open and close emergency exits and guide passengers to evacuate

      2 How to use fire extinguishers, emergency stop signs, and emergency smoke flares

      February ◎Predicting and avoiding hazards and how to respond in an emergency
      ◎Sharing and utilizing drive recorder records
      • Key points and the need for hazard predictive driving
      • Consider the behavioral characteristics of pedestrians and cyclists, etc.
      • Consider the dangers of bad weather and nighttime, etc.
      • Sharing and utilizing drive recorder records
      The utilization of near-miss information recorded on the in-vehicle data recorder for situational sharing and hazard anticipation within the company
      March ◎Safe driving according to the driver's ability to drive
      • The need for aptitude tests
      • How to use the results of the aptitude test (personality, safe driving attitude, etc.)
      • Instruction for individual drivers based on aptitude test results
      Appropriate age diagnosis
      (once a year)
      Notification of labor standards laws and improvement standards
    3. Training and development of operations managers

      1. In addition to the biennial Operations Manager Training Course required by law, Operations Managers attend annual Operations Manager Training Courses offered by the National Agency for Automotive Safety and Victim’s Aid (NASVA) or the Chuo Kotsu headquarters in Saitama to further enhance their skills.
      2. In order to ensure compliance with laws and regulations, we have established an “Operations Manager Training System” for drivers, which is designed to provide them with the correct knowledge of operations management. Those who wish to do so are encouraged to attend the Operations Manager Training Course, and the cost is covered by the company.
    4. Once a year, a “Driving Record Certificate” for all bus drivers is requested from the Japan Safe Driving Center, and the number of traffic violations is checked regularly for driver education and accident prevention.

    5. In order to share information about near miss incidents with drivers, the “Near Miss Information Casebook” is reported at monthly meetings, and guidance is provided accordingly.

    6. All crew members are required to submit near-miss information. In addition, operation managers who receive a near-miss information immediately record video of the near-miss with a drive recorder and share the information, including using it in regularly held safety training.

    7. In order to prevent accidents through medical checkups, we conduct sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) tests and brain MRI tests approximately every two years in an effort to understand the health status of all crew members.

    8. To prevent accidents involving the elderly, we will take an appropriate age diagnosis once a year from the Japan National Automobile Accident Prevention Agency (NASVA).

  5. Measures Taken and To Be Taken for Transportation Safety

    1. Measures Taken for Transportation Safety

      FY2023 Item Results
      Vehicle Introduction of vehicles equipped with safety devices such as PCS 34,120,000 yen
      Driver training Safety seminars 1,120,000 yen
      Aptitude tests (entry/general/appropriate age) 40,000 yen
      Zero accident reward system 7,380,000 yen
      Operation management IP radio communication costs 450,000 yen
      Digital tachograph communication fee 6,740,000 yen
      IT roll call system management costs 170,000 yen
      Health management Health examinations (annual)

      Miyakojima Sales Office crew members, including those who did not undergo medical examination in the previous year

      470,000 yen
      Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) test 240,000 yen
      Brain MRI examination

      Miyakojima Sales Office crew members, including those who did not undergo medical examination in the previous year

      290,000 yen
      Total 51,020,000 yen
    2. Measures To Be Taken for Transportation Safety

      FY2024 Item Budget
      Vehicles Introduction of used vehicles equipped with PCS and other safety devices 25 million yen
      Install under mirrors on all vehicles 70,000 yen
      Driver education Safety seminars 670,000 yen
      Aptitude tests (entry/general/appropriate age) 40,000 yen
      Zero accident reward system 8,460,000 yen
      Operation management IP radio communication costs 450,000 yen
      Digital tachograph communication fee 1,080,000 yen
      IT roll call system management costs 300,000 yen
      Expenses related to operation manager training 50,000 yen
      Health management Health examinations (annual)

      Miyakojima Sales Office crew members, including those who did not undergo medical examination in the previous year

      490,000 yen
      Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) test 30,000 yen
      Brain MRI examination

      Miyakojima Sales Office crew members, including those who did not undergo medical examination in the previous year

      90,000 yen
      Total 36,730,000 yen
  6. Practical safe driving instruction for beginning drivers

    Okinawa main island

    Tour instructor

    • Asamitsu Yara:Driving instructor (7 years)
      Large Class 2 license holder, 5 years of teaching experience (also driver)
    • Chinen Kazuo:Driving instructor (7 years)
      Large Class 2 license holder, 5 years of teaching experience (also driver)
    • Four other instructional drivers (also drivers)

    Routes:Instruction conducted on routes including highways, slopes, narrow passages, and urban areas

    FY2023 Results

    • Garage = open road = Shurijo Castle = Okinawa Expressway = Churaumi Aquarium = Kouri Island = Garage
    • Garage = open road = Ryukyumura = North Exit of Prefectural Office = Garage
    • Garage = open road = Naha Airport = Sefa Utaki = Itoman Roadside Station = Okinawa World = Umi Kaji Terrace = Garage
    • Garage = Public road = Niraikanai Bridge = Ashibina = Garage
    • Garage = Okinawa Expressway = Cape Hendo = Garage

    Miyako Island Area

    Tour instructor

    • Masashi Tsuhako:Director of Miyakojima Sales Office (11 years with the company)
      Large Class 2 license holder, 10 years of teaching experience
    • Hironobu Ikemura:Driving instructor (4 years with the company)
      Large Class 2 license, 3 years of mobile experience (also driver)

    Routes:Guidance on routes including hills, bottlenecks, and urban areas

    FY2023 Results

    • Garage = open road = Shigira Seven Miles Resort = Miyako Airport = Garage
    • Garage = open road = Higashiheannasaki = Garage
    • Garage = open road = Kushima = Miyakojima Tokyu Resorts = Garage
    • Garage = open road = Ikema Island = Garage
    • Garage = open road = Shimojijima Airport = Irabu Island = Garage

    Vehicle type:Large bus (MT)

    Guidance:Based on the tour guidance guidelines (checked by several people)

    • Start-up inspection
    • Acceleration/Deceleration
    • Safe speed for turning left and right
    • Legal speed
    • Gear Selection
    • Passing
    • Inter-vehicular distance
    • change of course
    • going backwards
    • Ride comfort
    • driving manners
    • Closing inspection, etc.
  7. Communication system for transportation safety information and other organizational charts

    The internal organizational chart and the communication and instruction organization chart in case of emergencies (serious accident, disaster, etc.) are shown separately.

    Click here to view the communication and instruction organization chart as a PDF file
  8. Internal audits for transportation safety

    We conduct internal audits once a year.
    In January 2020, an internal audit was conducted at our Miyako Island office, and instructions were given for improvement on identified deficiencies.

  9. Safety Management Regulations

    Click here to view the safety management regulations as a PDF file
  10. Chief Safety Management Officer

    CEO Yoshitomo Mori