Dubai. Roads and Transport Authority. 24th August 2026:
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has stepped up its preparations for the new academic year (2026 – 2027) by implementing a comprehensive package of measures aimed at prioritising the safety of students, enhancing the reliability of school transport, and providing parents with a wider range of safe and convenient mobility options.
As part of its preparations for the start of the new school year, RTA has issued circulars to school bus operators stressing the need for full operational readiness. The requirements cover school bus readiness, comprehensive safety checks, compliance with operating procedures, and the validity of permits for drivers and bus attendants. These measures are designed to ensure that school buses meet the highest safety requirements before commencing operations.
RTA will also conduct a 30-day intensive school bus inspection campaign covering schools and school buses across Dubai. The campaign will verify compliance with specified safety standards and operating procedures. In parallel, specialised field inspections and awareness campaigns will be conducted to verify the validity of school bus driver and attendant permits, reinforcing the vital role of qualified and authorised personnel in ensuring students’ safety throughout their journeys.
More mobility choices for parents
To complement school bus services and provide parents with greater flexibility, RTA is supporting a range of dedicated school mobility services through e-hail limousine operators. These include Careem School Rides, Uber Teens and BOLT School, offering parents convenient alternatives for school trips. The services prioritise high-safety-rated drivers and modern vehicle fleets, offering additional reassurance to families when choosing transportation for their children.
RTA is also supporting the School Ride Pooling initiative in Al Barsha, available through Yango application. The initiative provides parents with an additional school transport option, enabling students to share rides through convenient packages, while contributing to smoother and more efficient school journeys.
Through the student nol Card, students can also benefit from a 50% discount on RTA’s public transport services, including the Metro, Tram, and public buses.
Increased public transport capacity around schools
To enhance the reliability of transportation during peak school hours, RTA will increase taxi availability in several school zones across Dubai, providing parents and students with additional mobility options, and accommodating the increased demand during school opening and closing hours.
RTA will also increase the frequency of more than 30 bus routes serving key school zones, including Al Nahda, Muhaisnah, Al Barsha, Al Quoz, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Al Garhoud. The increased frequency is intended to improve service availability, reduce waiting times and facilitate smoother journeys for students and families.
Safety remains the top priority
RTA emphasised that its school-season preparations form part of an integrated approach to student safety, operational preparedness and service reliability. The measures combine preventive inspections, regulatory compliance, field monitoring, increased public transport capacity and technology-enabled mobility options to ensure that students can travel to and from school in a safe, secure, reliable and comfortable environment.
Safety remains the top priority, with seat belt use being mandatory in school buses, Ride pooling and ride‑hailing services, through these measures, RTA seeks to support schools, operators and parents in ensuring a smooth and safe start to the academic year, while reinforcing Dubai’s commitment to providing safe and sustainable mobility solutions for students and the wider community.