School Traffic Is Aggravated By A Low Percentage Of Bus-Users According To A Top RTA Official

School buses account for 13% of peak-hour traffic, according to statistics released by the RTA. 

However, only 53% of bus seats were occupied, as parents ‘favour private transport’ according to a top RTA boss. 

The director-general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, Mattar Al Tayer said the numbers of students on buses are set to increase significantly by 2020. 

He said: “The number of school buses registered in the traffic system has reached 6,500 so far and is expected to rise to 7,628 buses by 2020 and 14,455 by 2030.”

Only 11% of total school trips in Dubai are via bus (compared to 32% in the United States) 

Al Tayer said: “This means that 88% of students in Dubai use private vehicles to travel to their schools, which would increase congestion and environmental pollution. This is aggravated by the low occupancy rate of school buses at 53%. The transit means use is still limited and stands at just 1% of the total number of mass transit users”