Quality and Conformity Approves Abu Dhabi Guidelines for Regulating School Bus Traffic and Professional Requirements for Public Transport Bus Drivers, Tourist Transport, and Delivery of Orders Motorcycles.

Meeting of the Standard Technical Committee for Abu Dhabi Technical Standards, chaired by H.E. Engineer Bader Khamis Alshemaili, Executive Director of the Conformity and Standards Services Sector at the council and chairman of the Permanent Technical Committee, which includes 36 members representing 22 government entities, in the presence of concerned authorities from the government and private sectors.

In coordination with a working group that included experts from government agencies, the Integrated Transport Center developed the guidelines and professional requirements based on best practices and international standards.

The Abu Dhabi guide to regulate school bus traffic includes several essential aspects to formulate the characteristics of school bus stops next to the road, and the need to provide safety elements in the roads between houses and stops is clarified.

The guide also focuses on supporting the loading and unloading procedures at stops, introducing school bus drivers and students to the procedures for safely crossing the road. It also included clarifying the responsibilities of all school transport operators in the system and emergency procedures for school buses to maintain the safety of students, as well as explaining the mechanism for dealing with students with people of determination and the requirements for designing and managing stops in school areas, in addition to addressing parents' complaints. The community and cooperation with schools to raise awareness and educate parents.

The Abu Dhabi professional requirements for motorcyclists used in the delivery of orders have also been adopted to reduce traffic accidents and injuries related to drivers, enhance safety awareness, and the importance of using protective personal equipment correctly, which includes a helmet, protective vest, pants, gloves, and high safety shoes, and educate drivers about the causes of accidents such as excessive speed, inattention and non-compliance with the road-assigned lanes.

Abu Dhabi's professional requirements for public transport and tourist bus drivers have also been adopted, which aim to raise safety standards and improve service in these sectors. They stipulate the requirements for obtaining professional driving licenses and driver training, the necessary standards for the maintenance and inspection of buses and vehicles, and the need to provide comfort and safety elements for passengers, including the required procedures for securing cargo and organizing the distribution of passengers.

Engineer Abdulrahman Al Shizawi, Acting Executive Director of the Planning and Strategic Affairs Sector at the Integrated Transport Center, affirmed that this manual and professional requirement will contribute to achieving high levels of safety and service in the school transport, public transport, and tourist transport sectors. He noted that these efforts reflect Abu Dhabi's commitment to promoting the concept of Traffic Safety, sustainable development, and improving the quality of services provided to the community.

Mr. Al Shizawi also stressed the commitment to work seriously with all relevant authorities, including companies, institutions, parents, and schools, to ensure the implementation of the manual and requirements and achieve its objectives. He called on all concerned parties to review the manual and professional requirements and adhere to them to achieve a safe and sustainable environment in the transport sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

For his part, H.E. Engineer Bader Khamis Alshemaili, Executive Director of the Conformity and Standards Services Sector at the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council and chairman of the Permanent Technical Committee for Abu Dhabi Technical Standards, said: 'The work of the Permanent Technical Committee’s outputs comes in line with the council's efforts to achieve its vision aimed at upgrading the quality infrastructure and contributing to enabling the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to stand out globally.' He added that the holding of this meeting comes as an extension to the council’s continuous efforts to involve all concerned parties from the government and private sectors in developing technical documents that meet regulatory requirements and achieve the desired value for entities and society as a whole.

H.E. explained that the Abu Dhabi Council, in cooperation with partners from the government and private sectors, is working on updating technical documents periodically and continuously to ensure that they continue to meet the needs of relevant partners in the Emirate to cope up with the changes, novelties, and innovations occurring in all areas that require rapid response and flexibility in the preparation of the system of specifications.

Stressing the need for continued joint work between the government and private sectors to ensure the highest levels of safety and quality in this field, H.E. Engineer Bader Khamis Alshemaili Chairman of the Permanent Technical Committee, extended his thanks and appreciation to all members for their efforts and contribution to the preparation of this manual and the essential technical requirements.

Mr. Alshemaili pointed out that the council is developing a compliance program to enable the concerned regulators to ensure the optimal application of these documents at the level of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi."