Advanced tracking, driver training and round-the-clock monitoring support the safe commute of 36,500 students across the UAE.
As more than a million students across the UAE prepare to return to school, a large-scale operation is already underway at Dubai Taxi Company (DTC) to ensure their daily journeys are safe, smooth and hassle-free.
The organisation is preparing a fleet of 1,215 school buses to transport around 36,500 students every day across Dubai, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah.
Preparation begins well before schools reopen, with every bus undergoing a comprehensive readiness process. The checks cover operational condition, cleanliness, safety equipment and overall suitability to ensure each vehicle is ready for daily student transportation.
“We ensure our fleet, drivers and supporting systems are fully prepared for the return of students,” said Nasser Al Haj, Director of Asset at DTC.
The scale of the operation is considerable, with safety remaining the top priority. Every bus undergoes rigorous inspections to ensure it is mechanically sound and operationally ready for daily school transport.
“We position safety as one of our core organisational values,” Nasser said. “Regulatory compliance and operational standards are at the centre of our mobility operations.”
No bus is approved to carry students until all checks have been completed and every system is confirmed to be functioning properly.
Using technology
Technology plays an increasingly important role in DTC’s school transport operations. Every school journey is monitored by the Operation Control Centre (OCC), which provides real-time oversight of the fleet.
Inside the OCC, large screens display the location of each bus, live video feeds from inside vehicles, traffic updates, speed information and other operational data.
Bus routes are also adjusted based on traffic conditions to balance safety, travel time and operational efficiency.
“If a student is absent on a particular day, the route of the bus is reconfigured to a shorter route, leaving out that particular drop-off point,” Nasser said.
Before the academic year begins, DTC reviews routes and fleet requirements based on expected demand to ensure sufficient vehicle capacity is available from the first day.
“The challenge is not simply preparing individual buses,” he said. “It is coordinating vehicles, people, routes and schedules simultaneously so that the entire operation is ready when schools reopen.”
Children’s safety
DTC also provides a school bus app that allows parents to monitor their children’s journeys. Features include live GPS tracking, which shows the bus’s location and movement history, as well as instant notifications when children arrive safely or when unexpected traffic congestion affects their journey. Parents can also report student absences through the app.
Advanced surveillance systems help ensure that no student is left behind on a bus, while electronic tracking devices monitor both vehicles and students.
Drivers also undergo specialised training programmes focused on safe and responsible driving in line with Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) standards.
“Training reinforces safe driving, student supervision, emergency procedures and the specific responsibilities associated with transporting children,” Nasser explained.
The training prepares drivers and attendants to handle everything from routine school drop-offs to unexpected emergencies, with student safety and wellbeing remaining at the centre of the programme.
