Emirates Transport Company imports 200 new school buses

ABU DHABI // The Emirates Transport Company imported 200 new school buses to modernise its fleet and will install new technology to monitor students’ safety.

In a meeting with the Abu Dhabi Education Council, the ETC said it has submitted a proposal to equip buses with ID card readers and other technology to help keep children safe in transit.

The transportation company said it plans on installing a loop counter, which shows the number of students in each bus. The company also wants to add a check-in button at the end of each bus that would force the driver to walk to the back of the bus, checking each seat along the way, and confirm that no child is left with a press of the button. A body sensor that alerts the driver after switching off the engine if a child is still in the bus is also among the proposed safety measures.

Mohammed Al Jarman, general manager of ETC, said the company has already begun installing these technologies in kindergarten and Cycle 1 school buses with a target of installing the devices in 1,300 buses before the beginning of the new school year.

Projections by Adec indicate the new school year requires adding a minimum of 72 buses due to the increased number of students and new residential areas.

During the meeting, both parties agreed to develop a plan to meet the emerging needs at the beginning of new school year, especially as per requirements of new residential areas.