Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched a six-month pilot that replaces traditional yellow school buses with app-booked, shared SUVs for pupils aged 14 and above in the Al Barsha education cluster. The scheme, announced on 19 January 2026, partners RTA with Russian mobility platform Yango and local operator Urban Express. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
Parents sign up via a dedicated app; algorithms then group students living in the same neighbourhood into a single luxury vehicle that makes no more than three stops. RTA caps ride time at 60 minutes and has set an introductory fee of AED 1,000 per month—roughly 15 per cent cheaper than many private-school bus contracts. Live GPS tracking, RTA-certified drivers and the same CCTV/stop-arm safety standards as conventional buses apply. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
For families relocating to the UAE, securing dependent and student residency permits can be as critical as arranging daily transport. VisaHQ streamlines the entire visa application process for parents, teenagers and accompanying household staff, letting newcomers focus on booking the RTA’s innovative SUV pool without immigration worries. Check requirements or start an application at https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/.
![Dubai pilots pooled-SUV school transport to cut peak-hour congestion]()
Why it matters for global mobility: congestion around private schools is a perennial headache for expatriate families and corporate shuttle buses alike. RTA data show that school-run traffic accounts for up to 25 per cent of morning peak trips in some districts. If the pooled-SUV model scales, companies could see shorter commute times for relocating employees and reduced parking subsidies.
The authority’s medium-term goal is to shift 60 per cent of all school journeys to shared transport within three years, integrating the service with the Nol account-based ticketing overhaul slated for Q3 2026. Mobility managers should monitor expansion plans; pooled-SUV passes could become a taxable benefit or part of family-support allowances for inbound assignees.
Initial feedback from the six participating schools will determine whether the programme extends city-wide before the 2026-27 academic year. A decision is expected in June, giving HR teams time to update relocation handbooks ahead of September enrolment cycles.
Parents sign up via a dedicated app; algorithms then group students living in the same neighbourhood into a single luxury vehicle that makes no more than three stops. RTA caps ride time at 60 minutes and has set an introductory fee of AED 1,000 per month—roughly 15 per cent cheaper than many private-school bus contracts. Live GPS tracking, RTA-certified drivers and the same CCTV/stop-arm safety standards as conventional buses apply. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
For families relocating to the UAE, securing dependent and student residency permits can be as critical as arranging daily transport. VisaHQ streamlines the entire visa application process for parents, teenagers and accompanying household staff, letting newcomers focus on booking the RTA’s innovative SUV pool without immigration worries. Check requirements or start an application at https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/.
Why it matters for global mobility: congestion around private schools is a perennial headache for expatriate families and corporate shuttle buses alike. RTA data show that school-run traffic accounts for up to 25 per cent of morning peak trips in some districts. If the pooled-SUV model scales, companies could see shorter commute times for relocating employees and reduced parking subsidies.
The authority’s medium-term goal is to shift 60 per cent of all school journeys to shared transport within three years, integrating the service with the Nol account-based ticketing overhaul slated for Q3 2026. Mobility managers should monitor expansion plans; pooled-SUV passes could become a taxable benefit or part of family-support allowances for inbound assignees.
Initial feedback from the six participating schools will determine whether the programme extends city-wide before the 2026-27 academic year. A decision is expected in June, giving HR teams time to update relocation handbooks ahead of September enrolment cycles.
