New school buses with advanced safety features will be used by about 25,000 pupils in Dubai. Wam
New school buses with advanced safety features will be used by about 25,000 pupils in Dubai. Wam
New school buses with advanced safety features will be used by about 25,000 pupils in Dubai. Wam
New school buses with advanced safety features will be used by about 25,000 pupils in Dubai. Wam

Dubai's new high-tech school bus built to keep pupils safe


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Around 25,000 pupils in Dubai are set to benefit from a new high-tech bus being rolled out across the emirate for the new academic year.

The new vehicle, run by Dubai Taxi Corporation, has a range of smart features, including surveillance cameras and systems to ensure no child is left on board at the end of a journey and to monitor student movement while in transit. In case of emergency, the bus has an alert system that connects directly to a control centre.

The buses are also fitted with GPS tracking and an automatic fire suppression system. A radio frequency identification system makes it possible to electronically note which pupils are on board with the use of special tags.

DTC invested in advanced technology for its school buses "providing a safe and secure transportation environment for students during the school year,” Ammar Al Braiki, DTC's director of fleet operation, said.

Mr Al Braiki said the authority is keen to promote safety and responsibility among bus drivers and attendants by enrolling them on additional training courses.

“DTC also conducts drills on the handling of emergency cases and first aid to ensure that the team is ready and able to deal with any emergencies that may arise during the school transport process,” Mr Al Braiki said.

The UAE is committed to encouraging safety on the roads, most recently announcing a black points amnesty for safe drivers on the first day of school.

School buses in Abu Dhabi are also equipped with special cameras to identify drivers who do not stop when indicated by the vehicle's retractable stop sign, used when pupils are disembarking. Motorists who do not stop are fined Dh1,000 and receive 10 black points.

Safety incidents involving school buses are not common in Dubai, with the last reported accident having taken place in 2019, when two people were seriously hurt and more than a dozen pupils were injured in a major accident involving a school bus and a lorry.

A total of 15 pupils, along with the bus driver and the bus supervisor, were taken to Rashid Hospital for treatment following the crash.

The hospital said 14 of the pupils were released following treatment for minor injuries, while one child required further medical supervision.

The driver and supervisor suffered severe injuries, which the hospital said required “medical intervention”.

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

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Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16 

Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto 

Power: 1,500hp

Torque: 1,600Nm

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0-300kph in 11.8 seconds

Top speed: 350kph

Price: Dh13,600,000

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More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Updated: August 22, 2023, 7:08 AM`