More than 10,200 buses back on UAE roads for school run

Abu Dhabi: Yellow school buses rolled out across the UAE before sunrise on Monday, as hundreds of thousands of pupils returned to in-person learning after weeks of remote education.

According to the 24.ae news portal, Emirates Transport reinstated more than 10,200 school buses to serve over 285,000 students attending 630 public and private schools nationwide, following a Ministry of Education decision and in coordination with relevant authorities.

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From the early hours of the morning, buses departed from stations across the country along pre-set routes. The resumption followed extensive preparations aimed at ensuring safety, reliability and comfort for students on their daily journeys.

Sulaiman Jassim Al Hammadi, head of school transport operations and adviser at Emirates Transport, said the company began immediate implementation once the decision was announced, activating both administrative and field teams to resume services without disruption.

He said the return was guided by detailed contingency planning, with routes, schedules and operational procedures aligned with updated requirements for the safe reception of students. “From the moment the decision was issued, all teams were mobilised to ensure readiness at every level of the transport process,” he said.

On the ground, more than 10,000 qualified drivers were deployed, supported by over 10,000 trained transport supervisors responsible for safety and student welfare. Together, they managed operations across more than 10,000 routes spanning the country.

The fleet had reportedly remained in a state of readiness during the remote learning period. Preventive maintenance and technical checks were carried out across more than 23 accredited service centres, while field teams underwent continuous training to ensure they were prepared to resume operations at short notice.

Al Hammadi also highlighted coordination with the Ministry of Education, school administrations and other government entities, describing it as key to maintaining operational stability during the first days of reopening.

Emirates Transport said it will continue to monitor services closely and respond to feedback from parents and schools, particularly regarding routes, pick-up points and timings. A dedicated call centre is available to handle enquiries and ensure swift responses to any issues.