Abu Dhabi schools fully responsible for students' safety on all buses: ADEK

The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) has mandated that schools offer transportation services for students, either through their own efforts or via designated external providers. These schools are also required to provide any necessary support and services to students with additional educational needs to ensure they can effectively use the bus services.

In cases where transportation cannot be provided for certain students, schools must seek an exemption from the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC).

According to ADEK's School Transportation Policy, all operators and school bus staff are required to adhere to ITC's guidelines as laid out in the Executive Regulations for School Transportation in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and follow the Abu Dhabi School Bus Traffic Guidelines by the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council. Furthermore, operators need to comply with all traffic laws and their updates.

ADEK emphasised that schools are entirely responsible for ensuring the safety of students and staff during school bus journeys, even when they use external operators.

Separately, the Integrated Transport Centre of Abu Dhabi Mobility, the regulatory authority for transportation in Abu Dhabi, including school buses, under the Department of Municipalities and Transport, disclosed that the executive regulations for school transport services in Abu Dhabi identify 56 types of violations related to school buses.

These include 9 violations attributed to schools, 24 to operators, 12 to drivers, and 11 to bus supervisors.

Penalties for these violations range from written warnings for a first offense to fines starting at Dhs100, which can escalate up to Dhs200,000 for repeated offenses. Violators have a five-day grace period to address issues; failing that, the violation is recorded anew, incurring more severe penalties.

The types of school-related violations include: inadequate number of buses (penalty: written warning; repeat offense: Dhs20,000 fine; not appointing a school transport officer (penalty: written warning; repeat offense: Dhs5,000 fine); absence of a supervisor on buses with students under 11 (penalty: Dhs5,000; repeat offense: Dhs10,000 fine); conducting bus maintenance on school premises (penalty: written warning; repeat offense: Dhs10,000 fine); failing to have a designated person for students returning to school if unreachable by families (penalty: Dhs10,000; repeat offense: Dhs20,000 fine); exceeding approved school transport fees without Department of Education and Knowledge consent (penalty: Dhs10,000; repeat offense: Dhs20,000 fine); not maintaining a bus safety and risk plan per Abu Dhabi Occupational Safety and Health Center standards (penalty: written warning; repeat offense: Dhs5,000 fine); not addressing complaints from parents, the public, or the Department according to established protocols (penalty: written warning; repeat offense: Dhs5,000 fine); and engaging an unlicenced operator (penalty: Dhs100,000 fine). The fines may double upon repetition beyond the second violation.

The offences carried out by operators encompass 24 different types. Among these are running a school transport service without obtaining a departmental permit, which incurs a fine of Dhs50,000. There is also the violation of operating a school bus that is either unregistered in the emirate or exceeds the permit's validity, with fines of Dhs10,000 and Dhs20,000 for repeated offenses respectively. Additional infractions include using a bus in the school transport service without departmental authorization, resulting in a Dhs5,000 fine per bus, and hiring a driver for school transport before securing a proper school bus driver's license, which leads to a Dhs5,000 fine per driver. Failure to appoint a coordinator between the operator and schools results in a written warning and a Dhs5,000 fine for repeated offenses. Not designating pick-up and drop-off points for students at their homes will also earn a written warning and a Dhs2,000 fine for repeated violations.

Bus drivers' infractions include 12 types of offences. These range from neglecting to conduct a daily inspection of the bus before operation—checking elements like lights, tires, chassis, and seats, maintaining inspection lists, and notifying operators of any defects—to not ensuring buses are empty of students upon arrival at the endpoint if no supervisor is present, which incurs a Dhs1,000 fine. Not having first aid kits and fire extinguishers on board or ensuring clear bus entrances, exits, and corridors before starting the journey if there's no supervisor result in a Dhs500 fine each.

Furthermore, Abu Dhabi Mobility highlights that bus supervisors have committed 11 types of violations. These include allowing students to stand while the bus is moving or failing to confirm that all students are seated with seat belts fastened, with each offense attracting a Dhs200 fine. Not clearing the bus of students upon reaching the endpoint incurs a Dhs1,000 fine, as does allowing students under 11 years old to disembark without their guardian or representative present at the endpoint.