Abu Dhabi readies 10,000 school buses for more than 279,000 pupils

Abu Dhabi: Heavy vehicles and buses carrying workers will be temporarily barred from entering Abu Dhabi Island during the morning rush from Monday, part of a wider effort to ease traffic and improve safety at the start of the new school year.

The Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility), an affiliate of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, said the restriction will apply from 6.30am to 9am between Monday, Aug. 31, and Friday, Sept. 4. Vehicles providing logistics support and those operated by cleaning companies are exempt. 

The measure coincides with the return of pupils and a sharp rise in school-related traffic across the emirate. Abu Dhabi Mobility has declared more than 10,000 licensed school buses ready to operate, with the fleet expected to transport more than 279,000 students during the 2026-27 academic year. 

It said the buses had been checked against its technical and safety requirements under a broader inspection and operating plan for the start of term.

Inspection campaigns are also targeting schools and transport operators, while specialised training has been provided for bus drivers, supervisors and transport coordinators. 

Parents have also been encouraged to use the Salama school transport app, which allows them to follow bus journeys in real time, see when children board and leave the bus and receive information on expected arrival times. The app has now been downloaded more than 126,000 times, according to Abu Dhabi Mobility. 

The system also gives parents details about drivers and supervisors and allows direct communication with school transport staff. Abu Dhabi Mobility said the digital platform forms part of its efforts to improve oversight and give families greater visibility over daily school journeys. 

School bus operators are not permitted to employ drivers who do not hold the required professional permit.

Among the requirements cited by Abu Dhabi Mobility are a minimum age of 25, a UAE driving licence held for at least a year, a recent good-conduct certificate, proficiency in Arabic or English, completion of approved training and submission of a traffic violations record. Drivers must also undergo periodic medical fitness checks. 

The rules extend beyond licensing. Drivers must make sure no child is left on the bus at the end of a journey and may not allow a pupil to leave at an unauthorised stop without written instructions from the school. They are also prohibited from using mobile phones, eating or drinking while driving, or smoking on board. 

Drivers must obey posted speed limits and may not exceed 100 km/h under any circumstances, according to the rules cited by the authority. Stop arms and warning signals must also be used when pupils are boarding, getting off or crossing roads near the bus.