Sipu Jha
The traditional big yellow bus is getting a high-tech makeover. Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has officially rolled out a pilot program that lets students trade the standard bus seat for a luxury SUV. Launched in mid-January 2026, this “pooled transport” initiative is designed for students aged 14 and above who attend schools in high-traffic clusters.Instead of a fixed, long-winded bus route that stops at every corner, these high-end vehicles use smart data from Yango Group and Urban Express to pick up students living in the same neighborhood. By grouping children heading to nearby schools into one premium vehicle, the RTA hopes to slash the number of private cars clogging up school gates every morning.
How does it work?
Dubai’s pooled system is a shared ride model designed to be efficient, safe and modern:
- Shared Rides with Tech-Enabled SUVs: Instead of every family driving separately, students are grouped by neighbourhood and ride in shared, tech-equipped SUVs or buses to and from school.
- Smart Routes, Same Targets: Routes are planned using demand data, grouping students headed in similar directions and aligned with school start and finish times.
- Optimised Timing: RTA aims to keep ride times under 60 minutes for most trips, which is more predictable than traditional buses or variable car drop-offs.
- Managed by Partners: The pilot is being run with Yango Group providing
tech and booking systems, and Urban Express Transport operating the vehicles.
Unlike traditional dedicated school buses that serve only one school, this model is zoned and demand-responsive, similar to ride-hailing, but tailored for students and safety.
Participating schools
The initial phase of this “neighborhood pooling” is focused on the Al Barsha area, one of Dubai’s busiest education hubs. If your child attends one of the following six schools, you are eligible to register for the service:
| Participating School | Location Focus |
| Dubai American Academy | Al Barsha South |
| American School of Dubai | Al Barsha 1 |
| GEMS Founders School | Al Barsha South |
| GEMS Al Barsha National School | Al Barsha South |
| Brighton College Dubai | Al Barsha South |
| Bloom Academy | Al Barsha South |
The service isn’t just about the ride; it’s about the timing. The RTA guarantees that no student will spend more than 60 minutes in the vehicle, and routes are optimized daily to ensure the fastest possible trip from doorstep to classroom. Price of premiumWhile “luxury SUV” sounds expensive, the pooling model actually makes it surprisingly affordable. The pilot has launched with a special introductory rate of AED 1,000 per month.Compared to the cost of fuel, the time spent by a parent or driver in traffic, and traditional bus fees, the RTA estimates this model can save families about 15% in costs. Parents get the peace of mind of live vehicle tracking through a dedicated app, and the vehicles are held to the same strict safety standards as regular school buses, including smart monitoring and RTA-certified drivers.The “SUV for students” move is part of a larger strategy to get 60% of students into shared transport within the next three years. For the average resident, even those without school-age kids, this is a win. Fewer private cars performing U-turns and double-parking at school gates means a smoother flow for everyone during the 7:30 AM rush.Ahmed Hashem Bahrozyan, CEO of the Public Transport Agency, emphasized that the pilot is a “step-change” in how Dubai handles daily mobility. If the Al Barsha trial shows a significant drop in congestion, the RTA plans to expand the SUV and pooled bus service to other major school districts across Dubai by the start of the next school year in September 2026.
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