Kids spend too much time on schoolbus

schoolbus commute is a blessing for parents, but many students are unhappy with the long commute.

dubai — Schoolbus commute is a blessing for working parents in the UAE, but many students may not agree, because many are spending as many as three hours a day on the commute.

For 5-year-old Next Generation School student, Hassan, the ride from his home in IMPZ to his Barsha 1 campus should take just 20 minutes by car, but instead, he spends nearly four times that amount on the schoolbus.

“We had to choose the bus service due to our office timings,” his mother, Farah Manzoor, told Khaleej Times.

With a school start time of 7.30am, that means a very early rise for Hassan — 5am everyday — because the early morning run takes three times more time than the end-of-day run. “Because of the usual peak hour traffic, the bus arrives at 6.15am in the morning and the journey takes about one hour and 15 minutes. But it is different for the end-of-day commute as the school ends at 3.30pm and he reaches home by 3.50pm — just 20 minutes in total.”

On an average day, Manzoor said Hassan spends between oneand-a-half to two hours on the schoolbus. But although it can often be exhausting for him, she said she is satisfied with the service.

“I would say I am very satisfied. I get a message alert when my son is on board the bus and when he is dropped off at the school or at home, too. It’s a service that offers great peace of mind.”

She said with four SMSes everyday,

1 child dies on UaE roads every week (2015 data) 7 children aged under 15 years killed on Dubai roads in 2016

I get a message alert when my son is on board the bus and when he is dropped off at the school or at home too. It’s a service that offers great peace of mind.” Farah Manzoor, parent

it’s a very “safe service”, which assures her that her son is in good hands. And with previous tragic stories grabbing the headlines where schoolchildren have tragically lost their lives after being left on the schoolbus, it’s an added extra she very much welcomes.

Spending Dh6,800 annually on the transport service, Manzoor does admit she was very skeptical at first. “Frankly speaking I was very hesitant in the beginning to use the bus transport due to all the stories and long travel timings. But I chose a school which was nearby, so it was less distance for my child to travel. Even though the tuition is slightly higher, it’s a decision I am content with.”

Mother-of-three Hena Khan is another parent who chooses the

I have no concerns about the quality of the service provided, but I do have an issue regarding the amount of time spent on the bus. I really feel it needs to be reduced.” Hena Khan, parent

schoolbus as her children’s mode of transport. Firstly because it’s convenient, but mainly because she feels “it’s safer”.

With all three children attending Sheffield Private School Dubai, the distance from school to house is just 5.5km — a journey which takes about 35 minutes (each way) via car during school rush hours. But that journey increases to about two hours, 40 minutes in total — nearly triple the commute time — when riding the schoolbus.

Although the end-of-day commute takes just 40 minutes because her children are the first to be dropped off, it’s the morning run — which lasts about two hours — that often takes its toll on her kids, who are in grades 2, 12 and 13.

“For me, I have no concerns about the quality of the service > total time on bus: 1 hour 35 minutes (on average) > total time if travelling by car: 30 to 40 minutes > Morning commute Route: IMPZ to Barsha 1 Bus arrives: 6.15am Bus reaches school: 7.30am Distance travelled: 13km Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes > Afternoon commute: Route: Barsha 1 to IMPZ Bus arrives: 3.30pm Bus reaches home: 3.50pm Distance travelled: 13km Total time: 20 minutes provided, but I do have an issue regarding the amount of time spent on the bus. I really feel it needs to be reduced,” Khan told Khaleej Times.

Catching the schoolbus at 5.40am everyday, Khan said it can be a big ask for students to rise so early in the morning. But paying around Dh2,500 each month on the service is definitely worth it in terms of convenience.

For many parents here, the consensus is that schoolbus quality and service is definitely up to scratch, with many willing to pay out substantial annual costs for the privilege. But when it comes to commuting times, decreasing the hours spent on the bus would be welcomed by all — especially the students themselves.

kelly@khaleejtimes.com