Congestion during the school run can be reduced by bus use

Tharun Radhakrishnaiah, a Grade 9 student from Dubai Modern High School, spends more than two hours on the school bus each day commuting from his home near Lulu Village and back.

Sujatha Radhakrishnaiah says her children, Tharun, 14, and Tanisha, 9, spend more than two hours on the school bus each day commuting to and from their home. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

DUBAI // Tharun Radhakrishnaiah leaves for school at 6.40am and arrives home almost 11 hours later.

The 14-year-old Grade 9 student from Dubai Modern High School spends more than two hours on the school bus each day commuting to and from his home near Lulu Village.

“It is heartbreaking to see him come back home so exhausted,” said Sujatha, his mother, who has joined the call for dedicated school bus lanes to be created on Dubai’s roads.

“He used to go to a school in Al Barsha. It used to take him one-and-a-half hours each way and it was unacceptable. That was one of the main reasons we changed his school this year.

“After coming back, he has a lot of school work to do as well. The travel definitely takes a toll on the children. When he was in kindergarten in India, we used to live right opposite the school. I could see him from the balcony of my house and now this is the same child who travels so far to school every day. ”

Mrs Radhakrishnaiah, whose daughter Tanisha, 9, studies at Cambridge International School in Garhoud, spends almost as much time travelling on the bus as her sibling. “She leaves home by 6.30am for her school that starts at 8am and leaves school at 1.45pm but does not arrive until 2.45pm. She spends about one-and-half hours on the bus.

“I think dedicated bus lanes are the best option but all parents should consider using school buses instead of their own cars to drop their children. This will reduce congestion on the roads and ensure our children spend less time on the buses.”

The head of STS Transport that carries 58,000 students across the UAE agreed.

“Congestion happens during school hours, which means many parents are using their personal cars to drop their children,” said M L Augustine, managing director of the company.

“Look in front of any school and you will see 400 to 500 cars dropping off or picking up children. Until, and unless, all parents opt for school buses or public transport, this will remain an issue.”