RTA unveils rules governing school transport in Dubai

In November 2006, Mobility Management & Transport Policies Section at Planning & Business Development Dep't of RTA Public Transport Agency drew up an extensive plan that covered elaborate studies, field surveys and questionnaires.

RTA also held consultative workshops with stakeholders from school managements, drafted necessary rules & legislations and sought the approval of Dubai Executive Council.

Then it went about assigning various tasks and publishing the School Transport Manual.

These details were announced in a press conference held at Zayed University, Dubai Campus, and attended by Essa Abdul-Rahman Al-Dossari, CEO of RTA Public Transport Agency, and Mohammed Darwish, Executive President of Licensing & Customer Relations at Knowledge & Human Development Authority in Dubai.

Also in attendance were directors & managers at Public Transport Agency, representatives of companies operating in school transport & bus suppliers, principals of public & private schools in the emirate, and a host of local & regional media representatives.

In a speech delivered at the event, Al-Dosari said:

"Through introducing School Transport Scheme RTA is seeking to achieve a number of objectives to support this vital scheme through effective participation, upgrading services rendered by Public Transport Agency to schools, and ensuring safe & smooth mobility to all students at various ages in the emirate of Dubai. Such objectives are envisaged to be achieved through applying internationally accredited safety standards & specifications to all school buses in the emirate, drawing up policies & procedures streamlining school bus services, and planning & implementing measures designed to ensure the efficiency & reliability of school transport services. Objectives could also be achieved through effective oversight and control of school transport operations by implementing effective standards of services, licensing, maintenance, and safety systems. They also entail developing appropriate marketing strategies to enhance school bus services so as to promote students awareness of services delivered, increase the number of school bus users, follow-up implementation & complaints related to school transport in Dubai, and take appropriate actions accordingly."

"Public & private school managements are requested to approach RTA Licensing Agency to convert the registration cards of the existing school buses under their command into properly registered school buses as of the first of September 2008 in accordance with the procedures in vogue. Bus specifications have to be modified to match the requirements of School Transport Manual in Dubai. Should the bus be rented, the school management shall direct bus-owners to carry out this required action.

"School managements are invited to dispatch their school bus drivers to Drivers Training & Qualifying Office at Public Transport Agency at Al-Aweer so as to induct them in a 2-days training session free of charge, followed by an exam upon which successful attendants will be issued with school bus driving licenses. School managements are therefore requested to quickly dispatch their drivers to this course; which will run early September and remain on offer for six months.

"The School Transport Manual in the emirate of Dubai, which has been prepared in Arabic & English languages, covers several chapters such as introduction, facts & figures, school transport system, terminologies, and practicing school transport business. The Manual also covers responsibilities of school managements, operators, drivers, and students as well as their guardians. Other chapters discuss specifications of school buses, offences & fines, procedures of registering a school bus, and procedures of licensing school bus drivers. The Manual contains checklists for school principals, drivers, operators and bus specifications, in addition to questions & queries.

"The conference formed a good opportunity to confer with public & private school principals, Knowledge & Human Development Authority, and representatives of companies engaged in school transport & bus suppliers in the emirate of Dubai. Since school transport is vitally important for the RTA, being the first and foremost body responsible for public transport sector, RTA is always keen to deliver services to all spectrums of the community, including students who are the cornerstone of community development & growth, and offer them all means of comfort to help them excel in their academic path.

"It is equally important to strengthen communication links between the RTA and Knowledge & Human Development Authority, school managements, custodians of students, and representatives of companies engaged in school transport & bus suppliers with a view to promote joint cooperation and provide safe & smooth transport to all students" concluded Al-Dossari.

He hailed the vital & effective role played by written, audio-visual and e-media in bolstering RTA efforts to achieve its objectives and pursue sustainable transport means, not only for students but also sectors of the community."