7 schools sign up for RTA's student transport service

Dubai - Buses equipped with CCTV cameras to ensure students' safety.

The Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) has signed an agreement with seven Dubai schools to transport about 2,500 students on board 111 newly designed school buses during the 2015/2016 school year.
The participating schools are St Mary, German, Dar Al Marefa, Dubai Modern Education, Hartland International, Al Ittihad Al Mamzar and Al Ittihad Jumeirah schools.
"Following intensive media campaigns and field visits to schools in the emirate ... 35 schools expressed interest in signing up for the Roads and Transport Authority's school transport service," said Ahmed Al Suwaidi, CEO of DTC.
"The early results (have) ... culminated in the signing of agreements with seven schools who were briefed about the school transport service and specifications of the school buses. Accordingly, students of these schools will be (transported) ... by our new school transport buses starting from the ... academic year 2015/2016."
The new buses are equipped with CCTV cameras to ensure the safety of students, as well as an SMS service informing parents of their children's safe arrival at school. GPS and WiFi technology will be made available for schools which want them, Al Suwaidi said.
The buses will be monitored by a central control station.
"A remote system for control and monitoring will also be operational through the control centre at the Fleet Operations Department at the DTC, using environment-friendly technologies," he said.
Abdullah Al Meer, DTC's Director of Business Development, said plans are underway to expand the programme to other schools in the future, with a targeted 10 per cent annual growth of its market share till 2024.
"Work is up and running in developing a comprehensive promotional plan for the school transport service, and increasing the number of schools using our service," he said. "For this purpose, it will be coordinating with various internal bodies at the DTC and parties concerned at the RTA towards intensifying media campaigns about the school transport service using written and audio media as well as ... social media channels."
reporters@khaleejtimes.com

• Route maps in 3D at Dubai bus stations

• Be smart, join a carpool...