Some schools will raise bus fees by as much as 5% for the new academic year, driven by rising fuel and service expenses.
As the new school year approaches, some UAE parents will have to budget for higher school transport fees before their children even return to the classroom.
Parents of students at GEMS Winchester School, Dubailand, who use STS Group school bus services, have been notified that transport fees for the 2026–27 academic year will increase by 5%.
In an email to parents, the company said the revision reflects “the increased cost of delivering school transport services” and is necessary to maintain the safety, reliability and service standards expected by school communities.
The email also asked parents to re-register their children for bus services by July 24 to secure seats for the upcoming academic year.
Schools aim to limit fee increases
Dinesh Kothari, Founder, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Delhi Private School Dubai (DPS), said schools have been under pressure from rising operating costs, particularly higher fuel prices, in recent months.
“The last few months have been challenging for schools. Fuel costs, in particular, have risen sharply,” Kothari said.
Despite the increase in costs, he noted that schools have tried to minimise the impact on parents, with transport fees for the new academic year being raised by between 3% and 4%.
“We are conscious of the challenges faced by parents and are trying to mitigate them as best we can,” he added.
Meanwhile, STS Group clarified that transport fee increases are not applied uniformly across all the schools it serves.
“Transport fees are agreed individually between STS Group and each school, taking into account the agreed contractual arrangements and the specific operational requirements of each school,” the company said in a statement to Gulf News.
“There is no standard transport fee increase applied across all STS Group clients.”
The company added that it remains committed to its long-standing partnerships with schools and to providing safe, reliable and high-quality transport services for students and their families.
For many parents, the increase in school transport fees adds another expense to the annual back-to-school budget, alongside tuition fees, uniforms, textbooks and extracurricular activities.
Kothari acknowledged the financial pressures facing families and said schools remain mindful of the additional burden.
“We hope the coming year will bring renewed optimism and better times under the visionary leadership of the UAE’s rulers,” he said.
