Dubai: Cars and buses are not the only modes of transport your children can use to get to school.With the new academic school year around the corner, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced a range of dedicated school mobility services, including e-hail limousine operators and carpooling initiatives.Below, discover the complete list of operators, authorised by the RTA, and how to book school rides right from your smartphone:Careem School RidesCareem, a ride-hailing, food and grocery delivery service app in Dubai, offers school ride packages, as well as real-time tracking and notifications to keep you updated on your child’s journey.Careem drivers, called ‘Captains’, are subject to thorough security and background checks, and are specifically trained to ensure and maintain children's safety during each school ride, according to the company’s website.Cost: 20 school rides, starting at Dh 260.How to book:Download the Careem app through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Register with your email address, home address, and phone number.Open the ‘Rides’ section and tap on ‘School Rides’.Select your child’s school, along with your home address or pick-up location to see the total cost for your package.Purchase the package using your card, Apple Pay, or wallet credit.Uber SchoolIf you would like your teenager to independently book their ride to school, or if you’d like to book a pick-up for your pre-teen, you can do so with Uber School, an initiative by the RTA and Uber.Integrated into Uber Teen accounts, this service allows children and teens aged 8 to 17 in Dubai to use the ride-hailing platform with consent from their guardian. Trips can be taken exclusively between 6am and 6pm to allow kids to get to school on time and take part in extracurricular activities.Parents who add a teen account to their Family profile are notified every time their teen requests a ride, and they receive real-time alerts, plus live trip tracking, so they can follow their teen’s ride in the app, from pick-up to drop-off.According to Uber’s website, before a teen can request their first ride, they must complete a safety onboarding process that teaches them about the safety features that are available to them on every ride. Safety features include driver verification, personal identification number (PIN) authentication and audio recording options for the entire ride.Cost: The cost is determined per trip, based on the location of the school and its distance from the pick-up point.How to book:Download the Uber app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Register yourself, and verify your email address and phone number.Go to ‘Account’ and select ‘Family and Teens’. Invite your child, using their contact information.Have your child complete the mandatory safety onboarding process on their device.Fill out the Uber School registration form, mentioning the school address and your home address.Once your teen has completed the safety onboarding component, they can request a ride at any time between 6am and 6pm.Bolt SchoolIn May this year, the Dubai Taxi Company (DTC) partnered with Bolt to launch Bolt School, a ride-hailing service for students that covers 90% of school areas across Dubai, with further expansion being planned.Children and teens between 8 and 17 can use the service, however all trips must be booked exclusively by parents through the Bolt app, at least 30 minutes before the intended pick-up time.Once the ride is booked, the app sends a Safety Pickup PIN to the guardian, who is responsible for sharing it with the child before each trip. This PIN is key, as Bolt School drivers are not permitted to start the ride unless the correct PIN is provided and verified.Cost: The cost is determined per trip, based on the location of the school and its distance from the pick-up point.How to book:This process must be completed at least 30 minutes before your child requires the ride.Download the Bolt app via the Apple App Store Google Play Store. Register with your full name, mobile number and email address.Tap ‘Schedule’ on the home screen and enter your child’s school and home address in the appropriate drop-off or pick-up location, based on whether your child is going to or returning from school.Select ‘Bolt School’ from the available ride categories. Confirm the booking and pay.You will receive a confirmation message with driver details, as well as a Safety Pickup PIN, which you must share with your child ahead of their ride.Yango School Rides in Al BarshaIn partnership with the RTA, Yango has introduced a ride-pooling service for teens aged 12 and above. The service uses large vehicles and accommodates six students per car, sharing optimised routes. The Yango app allows parents to book monthly packages.Currently, the service is only available for schools in the Al Barsha area. Trained drivers, a scheduled daily routine, and live tracking, with notifications at pick-up and drop-off, all make it a convenient option for older children.Cost: Dh1,500 per month for round tripsHow to book:Download the Yango app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Register yourself, and verify your email address and phone number.Tap on ‘School Rides’ and fill out the form, including details about pick-up and drop-off points.Confirm your preferred package, and pay.You will receive a confirmation, with details about your Yango car and driver ahead of the first school ride.
