RTA continues the implementation of school transport regulations

RTA continues the implementation of school transport regulations

Dubai (United Arab Emirates): Public Transport Agency at Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) reviewed the achievements made by Planning & Business Development Dep’t in streamlining the rules of school transport since their endorsement by the Executive Council last year.

The Director of Planning & Business Development Dep’t at Public Transport Agency Mohammed Abu Baker Al Hashimi said that the Agency has so far trained 1000 drivers and issued them with school bus driving licenses. A large number of schools and companies engaged in school transport set about modifying their school transport buses to bring them in line with the specifications highlighted by the Agency in School Transport Manual. Knowledge & Human Development Authority was advised to ask all parties intending to pursue the practice business of education or opening new schools to produce a No Objection Certificate from RTA Public Transport Agency before issuing them with a permit to practice this business, effective from September this year.

“35 inspectors have been trained and appointed to make site tours to ensure that drivers have obtained school bus driving licenses as of the beginning of March this year. The scope of work of these inspectors will be widened to ensure that schools and companies engaged in school transport comply with all the requisite specifications of school buses as of September 2008” said Al Hashimi.

“Work teams of Public Transport Agency carried out site surveys and researches to examine the current situation of school transport in the emirate of Dubai. The teams conferred with managements of schools, companies operating in the field of school transport, and bus suppliers to explore ways and means of improving this sector; which serves a wide a segment of students of various age groups, with a view to applying the best practices and standards prevailing in this field worldwide.

“The work team tasked with following-up school transport laws organized an Open Day on January 5th to which it invited school principals and all those concerned with school transport to a meeting held as Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dubai. Three further meetings were held with Emirates Transport officials during which they reiterated their full attention and readiness to comply with all specifications stated in the Manual and apply them to their vehicles operating in school transport” commented Al Hashimi.

It is worth-mentioning that Public Transport Agency held a press conference by the end of last August to unveil School Transport Manual in the presence of 350 persons representing school managements, bus suppliers, school transport operators and representatives from Knowledge and Human Development Authority. The conference was held at Zayed University and attended by representatives of various newspapers and media channels in the UAE.