For many families, choosing a school involves trade-offs. Parents often depend on bus services for practicality, weighing safety, affordability, and work commitments.
Doctors in the UAE have warned that extended time on school buses — often in seats not designed for younger children — can negatively affect posture, leading to slouching, irritability, and sleep disturbances.
Experts caution that over time, these long commutes may contribute to neck, shoulder, and lower back pain, especially in children who carry heavy school bags or have underdeveloped core muscles.
Concerns over lengthy school bus rides resurfaced this week, as parents brought complaints to the Federal National Council (FNC) about students spending over two hours daily commuting.
UAE Caps School Bus Rides Following Health Concerns
Concerns over long school bus commutes resurfaced this week after parents raised complaints at the Federal National Council (FNC) about students spending more than two hours a day travelling to school.
FNC member Naama Abdullah Al Sharhan highlighted the issue, noting that some students remain on buses for over two hours, raising concerns about their wellbeing and daily fatigue.
In response, Sarah Al Amiri announced new limits, capping journey times at 45 minutes for kindergarten students and 60 minutes for older pupils.
Parents shared how long commutes disrupt routines and exhaust children. Sharjah resident Nighat Malik described her daughter’s schedule: “My five-year-old leaves for her school in Dubai at 5:25am and reaches her school in Qusais at 7:15am. She wakes up at 4:45am every morning… A couple of times, she has asked me, ‘Mama, why am I going to school at night?’ Most of the journey, she dozes off on the bus. Although, if we drive when the road is clear, it takes around 35 minutes.” She added that her husband cannot drop her off due to work commitments.
Similarly, 10-year-old Dina Haddad spends nearly two hours travelling to school, despite living just over 5km from her school in Al Nad, Sharjah. Her mother, Sara Haddad, explained, “The bus takes almost two hours because it has to pick up other students along the way. As a working mother, I can’t manage the school runs myself, so the bus is our only option. Even though Dina finishes classes at 4pm, she usually doesn’t get home until 5:30–6pm.”
For many UAE families, school choice involves trade-offs. Parents rely on bus services for practical reasons, balancing safety, affordability, and work commitments, even when commutes are long.
Health Implications of Long School Bus Commutes
Doctors have warned that extended daily commutes on school buses can pose serious health risks for children.
Dr. Maya Prabhakaran, Consultant Pediatrician at Medeor Hospital, Abu Dhabi, explained: “Chronic fatigue is common in children with long daily commutes. It can lead to headaches, irritability, mood swings, and poor concentration and memory. Long travel times also reduce opportunities for physical activity, contributing to lower overall daily movement.”
She added, “Spending long periods sitting in school buses, often in seats not ergonomically designed for young children, can contribute to poor posture, including slouched sitting and forward head posture. Over time, this may result in neck, shoulder, and lower back discomfort, particularly in children who carry heavy school bags or have weak core muscles.”
Academic and Wellbeing Impacts of Long School Bus Commutes
Dr. Mamata Bothra, specialist in pediatrics and neonatology at International Modern Hospital, Dubai, explained that prolonged daily travel can also affect children’s academic performance.
“Extended commutes may shorten effective sleep, increase morning stress, and reduce cognitive sharpness during early school periods. When travel exceeds 90–120 minutes daily, it can interfere with sustained attention, working memory, and emotional regulation,” she said.
Medical experts note that the UAE’s newly introduced limits — 45 minutes for kindergarten students and 60 minutes for older pupils — align with global child welfare recommendations.
“Trips under 45 minutes are generally considered developmentally reasonable. For older students, journeys up to 60 minutes are typically acceptable, provided the total daily commute does not exceed 90–120 minutes,” Dr Bothra added.
Doctors also highlight less obvious consequences of long commutes. “Extended travel can increase anxiety, reduce family interaction, and limit participation in extracurricular activities. Children benefit from time for family conversations, unstructured play, and early evening rest — routines disrupted by long bus rides. Prolonged journeys can also raise safety and environmental concerns, exposing children to traffic pollution, road vibrations, and heat stress if air conditioning is insufficient,” she explained.
