School bus drivers in Shanghai are required to have an unblemished driving record of at least three years, part of the city's effort to improve the safety of school buses.

As the new semester approaches, the city's education, public security and transportation departments jointly issued a notice, calling for the improvement of the safety of school buses.

The notice makes it clear that the drivers of school buses should be aged between 25 and 60, and have a three-year unblemished driving record. Drivers are also disqualified if they have a criminal record or a record of drug use.

According to Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, more than 2,200 school buses will be used in the new semester.

In a bid to improve the quality of school buses, the city will require that they should all meet national standards by September 2013.