From carpooling to limos, Dubai parents explore alternate solutions for school runs

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Even as UAE authorities announced the resumption of school bus services starting Monday, April 20, parents in Dubai are exploring alternatives for their children to travel to school. From carpooling to taxi rides, many are opting for other services for their convenience.

A carpooling platform launched by a Dubai student is gaining popularity. CommunityCarpool.org has over 300 registered users and is helping parents living in the same area find each other to share rides.

“It is a simple, free platform that helps people find others doing similar daily routes so they can coordinate carpooling,” said its founder, Anvith Yalamanchili. “When schools or specific corporates contact us, we can create a unique link so that only people within that school or corporate company are matched. We have seen an increase in interest among parents after back to school was announced."

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The Grade 11 student at Dwight Global in Dubai said that he developed the solution based on his personal experience. “What is usually a 15-minute drive dropping my brother to school turned into 45 minutes because there were three schools in the same area,” he said.

“We kept seeing the same cars from our community going to my brother's school. That's when it hit me: there were all these families traveling similar routes, but with no way to coordinate. This platform connects anyone within the same community traveling similar routes, reducing unnecessary traffic, and making commutes easier.”

Schools in the UAE will open on Monday, April 20 after more than a month of online classes due to regional tensions. Although it was initially announced that school bus services will not be postponed, later the Ministry of Education clarified that buses will play starting Monday.

Educational institutes will follow a carefully phased return to in-person learning and meet stringent requirements by authorities to ensure the safety of students and staff members.

Bus pooling and taxis

Earlier this year, Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) began trialling a bus pooling service. According to one of the providers of this service, Urban Express Transport, there has been a noticeable increase in parents wanting to explore this option since back to school was announced.

“Parents are primarily looking for safe, reliable, and professionally managed transportation options for their children,” said the company’s founder Dr. Mohamed Al Hashimi. “In response, we are offering multiple solutions, including structured bus pooling services as well as dedicated limo services for families seeking more personalized transport arrangements. While our current pilot is focused on the Al Barsha area, we are actively working to extend our coverage to other areas and are in discussions with RTA to obtain the necessary approvals.”

Similarly, Uber has also seen a rising number of enquiries from parents. The company operates Careem School Rides as well as Uber Teens which give parents live tracking and direct contact options.

“When we look at what parents actually need during this transition, it usually comes down to three things: safety, affordability, and a sense of connection,” said Tala Nsouli, General Manager of Uber in the UAE. “The morning drop-off is stressful enough, so parents want the peace of mind that their kids are getting to class safely, without it taking a toll on their daily budget.”