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New Bus Safety Technology

The new school bus, which is run by the Dubai Taxi Corporation, has an array of safety features all in one bus. 

For starters, the bus is equipped with radio frequency identification and GPS tracking systems, allowing parents to keep track of their child’s whereabouts when they are not actually with them. 

For drivers, this can help them keep track of the students that are on their bus. The tracking system is also helpful for parents who are looking to see when the bus will arrive, or if it will even arrive at all. Late or missing buses are not a uniquely American problem, after all. 

The bus also has an automatic fire suppression system, which is crucial to the management of emergencies. Finally, school buses are equipped with stop-arm cameras to avoid any casualties during the unloading and loading periods. Motorists disregarding the stop-arm and putting innocent children at risk also seem like a problem without regard to international borders. 

While many school buses in the United States offer these safety features, Dubai school buses provide an all-in-one approach. 

Many states in the US have unique regulations for school buses. 

Arkansas and New York, for example, are the only two that require a seatbelt and a stop-arm camera. School buses in Dubai offer all the safety benefits packed into one vehicle, making them an innovative option compared to buses in the US. 

Dubai also enforces a “black point system,” comparable to Driver’s License Points in the United States, to minimize the number of accidents on the road. Each time a driver or motorist violates a road regulation, that person will get black points on their driving record. 

The more serious the offense, the more black points that person will receive. If a driver receives 24 black points within 12 months, their license will be suspended. However, there are ways in which a driver can reduce the number of black points on his or her record. 

According to a tweet posted by the American Emirates Ministry of Interior on August 21, 2023, “The Federal Traffic Council has introduced a positive initiative by striking off (4) black traffic points, rewarding individuals who actively engage in the national campaign “Accident-Free Day.” 

Rolled out alongside the new school year, this initiative urges people to participate. This campaign came in preparation for the first day of school on August 28th, urging people to sign a pledge not to break any basic traffic rules, such as fastening seat belts, driving within the speed limit, and keeping a safe distance between vehicles. 

The “Accident-Free Day” was a success; zero incidents were reported in the areas surrounding the emirate’s schools. 

Compared to the report by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services in 2019, which found almost 100,000 school bus-related violations across 39 states and DC in a single day, the black point system in Dubai decreased that number at zero for a given day. 

Taking a closer look at Dubai’s road casualties, the number of people injured in road collisions jumped from 2,620 to 5,045 in only one year between 2021 and 2022. The emirate has been working to change that number since then with campaigns like the “Accident-Free Day.” 

Although it was only one day out of the year that did not have any accidents recorded, the campaign showed the power of marketing and incentives when it comes to improving road safety.

If the United States were to implement a campaign of this nature, the country could realize far less safety incidents, including accidents involving injuries and fatalities. . 

For example, if the DMV were to offer driver’s license point reductions for keeping the number of incidents in one’s school district at zero, motorists would likely exercise more caution behind the wheel around schools. 

Another concept that Safer Driver offers Dubai’s school bus drivers is the adoption of modern technology in that driver’s bus. 

A school bus can have push-button automatic door systems installed, bringing them a great deal of convenience. Automatic door systems alleviate the shoulder pain of manually opening the door and help the driver keep their focus on who is boarding their bus. 

Not only do they receive the best technology, but Dubai’s safer drivers also get a great reputation. Being recognized as a safer driver in Dubai means that you are a licensed, insured, and qualified driver. People trust you because they trust the name of a safer driver. 

Taking all of this into account, one could argue that Dubai is setting the standard for school bus safety. 

By taking an incentive-based approach, the emirate has been able to create an effective plan for keeping the roads safe. While the United States has made ample efforts to increase safety on school buses, perhaps it is time they tried an approach like this. 

What can U.S.-based school bus riders do to improve safety and efficiency? 

Many districts are adopting a new dispatching and payroll technology that has also demonstrated the ability to improve school bus efficiency and safety. 

Many, if not most, larger school districts and private school bus fleets rely on GPS fleet Tracking today, as well as routing software, to improve their operations and deliver greater student safety. 

These technologies are well established, and most transportation leaders appreciate the direct and indirect benefits of using them to improve operations and drive greater awareness and safety. 

But many districts remain unaware of a new emerging technology designed to connect the two previously independent platforms into a 360 degree view of operations to empower dispatchers, payroll technicians, and fleet directors to capture even better operational efficiencies and uncover new ways to increase safety. 

Bytecurve360, developed and supported by a team with more than 100 years of combined student transportation experience, is growing in popularity among fleets that leverage both routing and GPS Fleet tracking thanks to its ability to improve driver management, better control costs associated with payroll, and deliver improved services to schools and families. 

Not designed to replace either system, Bytecurve360 aims to connect dots that were previously constrained by technology silos into a more comprehensive perspective of student transportation management. 

Featuring a driver communication app, a payroll tool that can be leveraged in the garage via a touchscreen monitor or on- the-go via the driver app DriveOn as well as dispatch features designed by a team with years of experience managing complex and dynamic school bus fleets, Bytecurve360 delivers a transformative operational experience. 

“It’s helped us provide a new level of command and control that allows us to be ahead of issues instead of responding to them,” said Marty Klukas, General Manager, Student Transit.

“It’s become our command and control, and it helps us know what right looks like.”