Back to school in UAE: How parents can get live updates about their child’s bus journey – here is all you need to know

Dubai: Schools in the UAE are about to open soon and if you get worried about whether your child’s school bus will be late, you can now easily track the bus’s entire journey with the ‘DTC School Bus' mobile application.

The app was developed by Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC), which is a subsidiary of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), and it helps parents get a live location of their child’s bus and receive alerts if there are any traffic congestions or emergencies on the daily school route.

Here is all you need to know.

Why should I download the ‘DTC School Bus’ app?

Here are some of the services you can access on the app:

• Instant notifications on your phone when your child arrives at school or home.
• Notifications in the event of an unexpected traffic jam.
• Report if your child will be absent.
• Track how many bus trips your child has missed.

Is my child’s school on the app?

It is important to note that the app will only show you your child’s school bus’s progress if the school’s transport provider has tied up with DTC. In May this year, DTC announced that it has started the integration of 58 government schools ‎into its school bus app, with the app currently providing the service to track buses on around 800 routes.

The easiest way to check if your child’s school is on the app is by contacting your child’s school administration or signing up on the app and selecting the school from the list of schools available on the system.

How to sign up for the app

Step 1: Download the app and create an account

Download the app from Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Next, tap the ‘Create an account’ option.

To register an account with ‘DTC School Bus’ fill in the following details:

• Full name
• Email address
• Mobile Number
• Next, a verification code will be sent to you via SMS. Enter the One-Time Password (OTP).
• After that, fill in your Emirates ID number.
• Next, upload a front and back copy of your Emirates ID or take a picture of both the sides of the ID.
• Create a password and agree to the terms and conditions.
• Tap the ‘Register’ button.

Step 2: Enter your child’s information

Once you have created your account, you must now enter your child’s personal details, school and transport information and address. Fill in the following details for your child:

• First and last name
• Gender
• Emirates ID number

Next, upload a front and back copy of your child’s Emirates ID or take a picture of both the sides of the ID.

• Attach their passport-sized photo.
• Enter their date of birth.
• Select the nationality.

Tap ‘Next’.

Enter school information:
• Type in the school’s name and select the school from the available options.
• Select the session (2022-2023)
• Select the grade
• Select the class section
• Enter student ID
• Select the term – select all the terms if you are registering a child for the full academic year.

Enter your residence address details:
• Select the emirate
• Enter the Makani number or scan the Makani QR code outside your house.
• If the Makani number is detected, then the address details will automatically be filled.
• If not, fill in your address details.
• Tap the ‘set’ button to select a pick up/drop off point.
• Set the pick-up point by moving the map and pin your address.

Enter the transport information:
• Select the trip detail – ‘one way’ or ‘two way’.
• If you select ‘one way’, select one of the options – ‘home to school’ or ‘school to home’.
• Next, tap, ‘Submit’.

Payment

If you already paid for the bus transportation fee for the semester at your child’s school, then you do not have to pay for anything on the app and your child’s details are registered with the app.

If you have not paid the fee, you can pay for the overall cost online through the app with your credit or debit c