Administrative
Resolution No. (196) of 2015
Issuing
the Implementing Bylaw of
Executive
Council Resolution No. (2) of 2008
Regulating
School Transport in the Emirate of Dubai[1]
ــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ
The Chairman of the Board of
Directors and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority,
After
perusal of:
Law
No. (17) of 2005 Establishing the Roads and Transport Authority;
Executive
Council Resolution No. (2) of 2008 Regulating School Transport in the Emirate
of Dubai and its amendments;
Executive
Council Resolution No. (8) of 2006 Establishing the Agencies Affiliated to the
Roads and Transport Authority and Approving their Corporate and Organisational
Structure;
Executive
Council Resolution No. (13) of 2010 Approving the Organisational Structure of
the Roads and Transport Authority; and
Administrative
Resolution No. (353) of 2008 Issuing the Implementing Bylaw of Regulation No.
(2) of 2008 Regulating School Transport in the Emirate of Dubai and its
amendments,
Does hereby issue this Resolution.
The following words and
expressions, wherever mentioned in this Resolution, will have the meaning
indicated opposite each of them unless the context implies otherwise:
|
UAE: |
The
United Arab Emirates. |
|
Emirate: |
The
Emirate of Dubai. |
|
RTA: |
The Roads
and Transport Authority. |
|
Agency: |
The
Public Transport Agency of the RTA. |
|
School Bus: |
Any vehicle licensed
in accordance with this Resolution to transport students and pupils to and
from schools and nursery schools. |
|
Automatic Stop Arm: |
An automatic
arm with a sign featuring the word “STOP” written in the Arabic and English
languages, which is used for warning when the School Bus stops for picking up
or dropping off students and pupils. |
|
Operator: |
An entity
authorised by the RTA to conduct the activity of transporting school students
and nursery school pupils by School Buses. |
In addition to the functions assigned to it
under the above-mentioned Executive Council Resolution No. (2) of 2008, the
Agency will:
1.
conduct regular and surprise
inspections of School Buses to verify that they meet the adopted licensing
requirements and safety standards;
2.
verify that Operators employ only
females as School Bus conductors;
3.
approve the appointment of female School
Bus conductors in accordance with the requirements adopted by the Agency, and
register them in the register of female School Bus conductors;
4.
issue one-year renewable authorisations
to practise the profession of female School Bus conductor, and
5.
organise training courses for female
School Bus conductors.
Issuing
a School Bus driving permit to a driver is subject to the following substantive
and procedural requirements:
1. an application for a School Bus
driving permit must be submitted on the form prescribed by the Agency for this
purpose;
2. the driver must hold a bus driving
licence issued in the UAE in the same category of the permit issued by the
Agency;
3. the driver must successfully pass the
necessary training and School Bus driving test prescribed by the Agency;
4. the driver must not be less than
twenty-five (25) years of age;
5. the driver must submit a certificate
of good conduct issued by the competent entities in the UAE;
6. the driver must submit a black-points
report issued by the competent entities;
7. the driver must submit a medical
fitness certificate issued by a medical centre recognised by the RTA;
8. the driver must be reasonably
proficient in the Arabic or English language; and
9. the driver must be sponsored by the
Operator pursuant to a UAE residence permit in which his occupation is recorded
as “driver”.
An
Operator will submit to the Agency applications for School Bus operating permits
supported by the following documents:
1. a copy of the bus registration
document issued by the Licensing Agency of the RTA;
2. a copy of an insurance policy that
covers all the bus passengers;
3. a report from the Licensing Agency of
the RTA certifying that the bus meets the technical specifications and equipment
requirements approved under this Resolution;
4. a copy of the bus purchase invoice where
the bus is new, or copy of the bus rental contract where the bus is rented;
5. a copy of the bus specifications
issued by the manufacturer if the bus is new;
6. a technical test report issued by the
Licensing Agency of the RTA or by any other entity recognised by the RTA; and
7. for buses with a seating capacity of more
than fifty (50) passengers, a crash test technical report which
indicates the bus’s ability to withstand impacts and accidents.
School
Bus driving permits and School Bus operating permits will be valid for a period
of one (1) year, renewable for the same period. A renewal application must be
submitted within thirty (30) days from the date of expiry of the permit.
A
School Bus must meet the following technical specifications and equipment
requirements:
a. School Bus Exterior Specifications:
1. The colour of the School Bus must be yellow, grade ‘RAL 1018 Zinkgelb GL841’, without any other overlapping colour.
2. The words" School Bus” must be written in black and in both Arabic and English in font size of no less than eight inches (8 in.), i.e. twenty centimetres (20 cm), between the top hazard warning lights or as high as possible on the front and rear end of the bus, and in the middle of the bus sides.
3. The area on which the name of the school, of the Operator, or of any third party is written may not be greater than one thousand and five hundred square centimetres (1,500 cm2).
4. An Automatic Stop Arm must be affixed on the School Bus external side directly behind the driver’s door. The Automatic Stop Arm must extend when the bus comes to a stop, whether for picking up or dropping off students and pupils, and must have a red light that flashes as the School Bus stops.
5. The School Bus must be equipped with the following system of indicator lights that start to flash when the School Bus stops:
a. a dual red indicator light at the uppermost part of the front and rear ends of the School Bus; and
b. a dual yellow indicator light at the lowermost part of the front and rear ends of the School Bus.
6. A ‘School Bus’ sign must be placed on the right front end and left rear end of the School Bus. This sign must be made of a reflective material, and must measure 25 × 25 cm for large buses and 17 × 17 cm for minibuses.
7. Windows must be tinted up to thirty percent (30%) and must be capable of being open only up to ten centimetres (10 cm) from either side or from the top. Windows may not be covered with blinds.
8. No bars may be installed on the inside or outside of the windows of the School Bus.
9. The School Bus number must be written on the uppermost right front end and left rear end of the bus.
10. The School Bus must be equipped with mirrors that reflect the surroundings of the School Bus in all directions.
b. School Bus Seating and Interior Specifications:
1. A School Bus must minimally be a sixteen-seater.
2. The number of seats determined by the manufacturer must be maintained, and no additional folding seats may be used.
3. Side hand rests, ashtrays, seat arms, and any other solid equipment must be removed from the backside of seats.
4.
A School Bus must be equipped
with an air conditioning system which maintains the temperature at a maximum of
twenty-four degrees Celsius (24
5. Space must be allocated for bags to ensure that they do not obstruct the movement of students or pupils, and to ensure that bags are secured in a manner that prevents them from falling on students or pupils in case of sudden stops, accidents, or normal movement of the School Bus.
6. A School Bus door must have a handrail on each side to assist in passenger boarding.
7. The floor of the isle must be covered with an inflammable and anti-slip rubber layer.
8. Door opening and closing must be controlled only by the driver. Electronic control of doors is preferable.
c.
School
Bus Safety Standards:
1. The maximum speed of a School Bus must not exceed eighty kilometres per hour (80 kmph). A School Bus must be equipped with a speed control device that meets the requirements and standards approved by the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology.
2. A School Bus must contain a first aid kit with contents commensurate with the number of its seats.
3. A School Bus must contain an all-purpose six-kilogram fire extinguisher, placed in a dedicated space close to the driver’s seat. The location of the fire extinguisher must be indicated by a sign. School Buses must have fire extinguishers as follows:
a. one (1) six-kilogram fire extinguisher, for School Buses with seating capacity of less than fifty (50) passengers; or
b. two (2) six-kilogram fire extinguishers, for School Buses with seating capacity of fifty (50) passengers or more.
4. The lifespan of a School Bus may not exceed fifteen (15) years from the date of manufacture.
5. A School Bus must have a number of emergency exits commensurate with the number of its seats, with at least one (1) emergency exit at each side. Passenger exit doors and the driver’s door may not be considered emergency exits. Visible signs must be maintained to indicate emergency exits. No obstruction may be placed which would block the exit of passengers through emergency exits in case of emergency.
6. Passenger seats with no seats in front of them, such as front seats and the middle seat of the last row, must be fitted with two-point seat belts. The driver’s seat must be fitted with a three-point seat belt.
7. Neither the interior nor the exterior of a School Bus may feature any sharp edges.
8. A School Bus must have a Global Positioning System (GPS) to enable tracking the location and place of the School Bus.
9. A School Bus must meet any other specifications determined by the Agency.
In
addition to the specifications mentioned in Article (6) of this Resolution, an
Operator must ensure that any School Bus manufactured after 2008 meets the
following specifications:
1. All seat backs must be at least
seventy-one centimetres (71 cm) high. The space between seats must not be less
than sixty-four centimetres (64 cm). A seat width must not be less than forty
centimetres (40 cm) for single seats, ninety centimetres (90 cm) for double
seats, and one hundred and fifteen centimetres (115 cm) for triple seats.
2. All seats must be padded on all sides
and must be made of shock-absorbing fireproof pads.
3. In addition to roof exits (hatches), the
School Bus must have safe emergency exits on the right and left sides, and on
the rear end, as follows:
a. one (1) exit on each side and on the rear end, and one (1) roof exit, for buses with a seating capacity from twenty-eight (28) to fifty (50) passengers; or
b. two (2) exits on each side and on the rear end, and two (2) roof exits, for buses with a seating capacity of more than fifty (50) passengers.
4. A School Bus must be equipped with an
electronic fire extinguishing system for the engine compartment.
5. The width of the isle of a School Bus must
not be less than fifty centimetres (50 cm).
6. Door opening and closing must be
electronically controlled only by the driver.
In
addition to the specifications mentioned in Articles (6) and (7) of this
Resolution, an Operator must ensure that nursery School Buses are equipped with
three-point seat belts for all seats, and the child seat anchorage system known
as the “Universal Anchorage System” (UAS).
A
school administration must comply with the following:
1. A qualified person must be appointed
as an immediate supervisor of each School Bus, and his name
and contact details must be provided to the Agency and student parents. This person
must receive training in the field of school transport.
2. School Bus routes must be determined
by immediate supervisors and approved by school headmasters.
3. The number of student seats must be
determined at the beginning of each school year. Immediate supervisors, in cooperation
with school headmasters and drivers, must ensure that each student is allocated
a seat throughout the school year.
4. Means of communication must be
provided to ensure persistent communication between drivers and immediate
supervisors of School Buses throughout bus trips.
5. Back seats must be allocated for girls
and front seats for boys. Random seating of boys and girls is prohibited inside
the School Bus. Gender-separated buses are preferred for transporting students
and pupils
where possible.
a. An Operator must:
1. appoint a female School Bus conductor in School Buses of all educational grades, except buses transporting male students from the sixth grade to the secondary level;
2. ensure that female School Bus conductors attend the training courses prescribed by the Agency; and
3. ensure that each female School Bus conductor holds the professional authorisation card issued by the Agency, and produces it upon request.
b. A female School Bus conductor must
meet the following requirements:
1. be of good conduct and repute;
2. be not be less than twenty-five (25) years of age;
3. be medically fit; and
4. pass the
tests adopted by the Agency.
c. A female School Bus conductor must:
1. assist students and pupils while boarding or alighting from the School Bus;
2. maintain the safety and organise the seating of students and pupils while on board the School Bus;
3. assist students and pupils to cross roads, and ensure that they are received by their guardians;
4. ensure that no students, pupils, school bags, or personal belongings are on board the School Bus after it reaches the final destination; and
5. promptly deal with emergencies, and contact concerned entities to take the necessary action.
A
School Bus driver must:
1.
use
the Automatic Stop Arm when picking up or dropping off
students and pupils;
2.
wear
the official uniform while engaged in school transport activities, and maintain
a neat and good appearance;
3.
produce
the School Bus registration card and operating permit, and the School Bus
driving permit, to the RTA employees upon request.
4.
refrain
from smoking, eating, or drinking while driving the School Bus;
5.
maintain
the cleanliness of the School Bus; and
6.
transport
students and pupils by the School Bus in a timely manner, and notify its
immediate supervisor in case of any delay.
Drivers
of private and public vehicles and buses must completely stop their vehicles when
the School Bus is stopped and the Automatic Stop Arm is in an extended
position.
Where
a School Bus is sold to any party other than schools, the seller must remove
all signs indicating that the vehicle is a School Bus, including the yellow
colour, inscriptions, school pictures, Automatic Stop Arm, and other signs.
A
school transport permit issued by the Agency may be suspended or revoked in the
following cases:
1. where multiple complaints are filed against a
driver, and he is convicted of the relevant act; or
2. where an Operator repeatedly fails to
comply with the requirements and provisions stipulated in the above-mentioned
Executive Council Resolution No. (2) of 2008 and in this Resolution.
The
RTA will issue a guiding manual which contains the technical specifications and
equipment requirements that must be met by School Buses; the requirements that
must be met by drivers; obligations of Operators; responsibilities of students,
parents, and school administrations; and procedures for obtaining permits and authorisations.
The
Chief Executive Officer of the Agency will issue the instructions required for
the implementation of the provisions of this Resolution.
The
above-mentioned Administrative Resolution No. (353) of 2008 is hereby repealed.
Any provision in any other administrative resolution will also be repealed to
the extent that it contradicts the provisions of this Resolution.
This
Resolution will be published in the Official Gazette, and will come into force
on the day on which it is published.
Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer
Chairman of the Board of
Directors and Executive Director
Issued in Dubai on 26 March 2015
Corresponding to 6 Jumada al-Thaniyah 1436
A.H.
©2015 The Supreme Legislation Committee in the
Emirate of Dubai
[1]Every effort has been made to produce an
accurate and complete English version of this legislation. However, for the
purpose of its interpretation and application, reference must be made to the
original Arabic text. In case of conflict the Arabic text will prevail.