ARAB FALCON – SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION POLICY
- Purpose
This policy outlines the terms, conditions, responsibilities, and operational procedures governing the use of school transportation services provided by Arab Falcon Bus Rental LLC.
The policy is designed to ensure the safety, comfort, and wellbeing of all students while maintaining efficient, reliable, and compliant transportation operations.
- Student Code of Conduct
Students are expected to behave responsibly and respectfully at all times while using the transportation service.
Students Must:
- Wear seat belts at all times while the bus is in motion, except when boarding or alighting from the bus.
- Remain seated throughout the journey.
- Follow all instructions issued by the driver, bus attendant, transport coordinator, and school staff.
- Speak in a quiet and respectful manner.
- Use appropriate language at all times.
- Respect fellow students, drivers, attendants, transport staff, and school personnel.
- Use assigned seating where designated.
Students Must Not:
- Eat or drink on the bus.
- Engage in disruptive, unsafe, or inappropriate behaviour.
- Use offensive, abusive, or inappropriate language.
- Bully, intimidate, harass, or threaten other students.
- Play loud music or create excessive noise.
- Distract the driver or attendant from their duties.
- Stand, move around unnecessarily, scream, shout excessively, or engage in unsafe conduct while the bus is in motion.
- Damage bus property or the property of others.
Behaviour Management
Any misconduct may result in:
The bus attendant will report all matters involving health, safety, behavioral, welfare, safeguarding, or child protection concerns to the school, who will take action accordingly.
- This will involve the school telephoning the parents of the child concerned.
- A second complaint may lead to suspension of the bus riding privileges.
The School Principal reserves the right to exclude a student from the transportation service in accordance with school policies and applicable RTA regulations –
- If a student causes the delay of a trip multiple times in one school year.
- If a student violates any safety rule and endangers the safety of others during the trip.
- If a student refuses to ride a bus from a pickup point approved by the school.
- If a student leaves the bus before reaching his/her designated destination without prior approval/permission.
- If a student continues to cause disturbance after a written warning is filed against him/her during one school year.
- Or any similar incident.
Transport fees will not be refunded in cases where transportation privileges are suspended or withdrawn due to misconduct.
- Transport Service Eligibility
Transportation services are available to students residing within approved service areas determined by the school and Arab Falcon.
Route operation may be subject to:
- Minimum student number (12 students).
- Route feasibility.
- Operational requirements.
- Availability of vehicles and staff.
Arab Falcon reserves the right to modify routes, pick-up points, schedules, and bus allocations to improve operational efficiency and service delivery.
- Vehicle Safety Standards
Arab Falcon will ensure that:
- All vehicles are licensed and approved by the RTA.
- Drivers hold valid permits and are trained in school transportation requirements.
- Drivers are able to communicate effectively in English.
- All buses are equipped with:
- GPS tracking systems.
- CCTV monitoring systems.
- Approved safety equipment.
- Female RTA-certified attendants are assigned for each bus.
- Daily safety inspections and post-trip checks are conducted.
- Procedures are implemented to ensure no child is left unattended on a bus.
- Drivers are not permitted to stop at fuel stations while students are on board except in genuine emergency situations.
- Route Planning and Journey Times
Arab Falcon shall determine:
- Pick-up points.
- Drop-off points.
- Bus routes.
- Bus allocations.
- Journey schedules.
Parents should note:
- Students will normally be collected from the front gate of their villa, building, or designated community access point, provided the location is safe, accessible, and operationally feasible.
- Students residing on roads with dead ends, restricted access, gated limitations, or narrow roads may be required to walk to a designated pick-up point.
- The first student picked up may not necessarily be the first student dropped off.
- Commute times may vary depending on traffic conditions, route design, and student distribution.
- The bus company will endeavor to ensure no child is on the bus for more than 75 minutes (one way) assuming normal traffic conditions. However, longer journeys may be unavoidable for certain locations.
- Where required, parents may be requested to acknowledge and accept extended journey times.
- Students may occasionally be transferred between buses to accommodate operational requirements.
- Timing for pick up and drop off could be changed occasionally to accommodate new students in the bus.
- Pick-Up and Drop-Off Procedures
Parents must:
- Ensure students are ready at least five (5) minutes before the scheduled pick-up time.
- Be available at least five (5) minutes before the scheduled drop-off time.
- Ensure authorized guardians are present where required – applicable for students.
The maximum waiting time at each pick-up and drop-off point is two minutes, after which the bus will proceed to the next stop.
If a student is not present at the designated pick-up point:
- The bus will continue its route.
- The bus will not return.
- The student will be considered absent from transport for that trip.
If no authorized person is available:
- The student will be returned to school.
- Parents will be responsible for collecting the student from school.
Please note that the bus assistant will not be allowed to leave the bus except in emergency cases. Under no circumstances will the bus assistant escort a student from the bus to the front door of the student’s home. A parent or appointed guardian must escort the student from the bus to the front door of the student’s home.
Should a student miss the bus for any reason, other than an error in our process, then it will be the responsibility of the parent(s) to drop the child to school or come and pick the student up from the school.
Please note that parents/ guardians/ shadow teachers are NOT permitted to ride on the school buses.
Approved Destinations
Students will only be transported between:
- School.
- Registered home address.
Transport to alternative locations, friends’ homes, or unregistered destinations will not be permitted.
In emergency cases, temporary alternative arrangements may be considered subject to:
- Written parental request.
- School approval.
- Operational feasibility.
Students who are not registered for transportation services are not permitted to use school buses on any occasional basis.
- Changes to Transportation Arrangements
Parents must notify Arab Falcon in writing by filling the “Area change / Cancellation request form” regarding:
- Changes of address.
- Temporary transportation changes.
- Permanent cancellation of service.
- Alternative collection arrangements.
All requests remain subject to:
- Route availability.
- Seat availability.
- Operational feasibility.
All request will require two weeks advance notice.
Emergency route changes may be considered where operationally feasible.
8.Communication and Complaints
Each route will be managed by an assigned Transport Coordinator.
Parents should direct all transportation-related enquiries, concerns, complaints, requests, and operational matters to the Transport Coordinator and not directly to drivers or attendants.
Where a concern cannot be resolved directly by Arab Falcon.
Parents are responsible for ensuring emergency contact information remains accurate and updated at all times.
Parents to provide the maid/s nanny’s contact number along with the emirates id a day in advance incase of changes.
- Service Notifications
If parents keep their app notifications enabled, they will automatically receive alerts for important transport updates such as:
- Bus Near Pick-up Location Notification
- Student Pick-up Confirmation
- Bus Reached School Notification
- Student Afternoon Check-in Notification
- Bus Departure from School Notification
- Student Drop-off Confirmation
- Bus Schedule Updates
- Payment Receipt Generation & Access
- Personal Property
Neither the school nor Arab Falcon accepts responsibility for:
- Lost property.
- Forgotten belongings.
- Personal items left unattended on buses.
Students are encouraged to label all personal belongings clearly.
- Damage to Property
Where a student causes damage to:
- A school bus.
- Bus equipment.
- Another student’s belongings.
The parent or guardian shall be responsible for the cost of repair or replacement.
Arab Falcon may provide incident reports, photographs, quotations, invoices, or supporting documentation where applicable.
If the parent informs the bus company about the late bus on the same day itself, then the child will not be allowed to take the late bus and the parent will have to come to school and collect their ward.
- Fees and Payment Terms
Transportation fees:
- Are payable directly to Arab Falcon.
- Must be paid in advance.
- Are charged at approved annual rates.
The annual transportation cost is calculated across the academic year and therefore:
- Fees remain payable regardless of holidays occurring within the term.
- Partial month usage does not qualify for discounts.
- Occasional use does not qualify for reduced fees.
Students will not be permitted to use transportation services where fees remain unpaid.
- Refund Policy
Refunds will only be considered for complete unused terms.
Refund requests must:
- Be submitted in writing.
- Be received before the start of the term being cancelled.
- Be accompanied by any required cancellation documentation.
Refunds will not be granted for:
- Partially used terms.
- Suspensions resulting from disciplinary action.
- Retrospective requests.
- New Applications
New transportation applications require advance notice of 3 weeks to allow route planning and seat allocation.
Acceptance of applications remains subject to:
- Route availability.
- Seat availability.
- Operational feasibility.
Late applications may result in delays to service commencement.
- Parent Declaration
By registering for and using the transportation service, parents and students acknowledge that they:
- Please add – age group two and above
- Please add – Seat Belt – 3. Seat belts are mandatory as per RTA rules.
- Please mention that no summer camp buses are provided
- Minimum number of students 12 – kindly advise if this should apply to nursery students.
- Start date – kindly advise on the applicable start date Normally, we commence the bus service approximately two weeks after the start of the academic year
- Please review the following point regarding journey duration: The bus company will endeavor to ensure that no child is on the bus for more than 75 minutes one way, assuming normal traffic conditions. However, longer journeys may be unavoidable for certain locations.
- Student Handover for Primary Levels
All requests remain subject to: / Kindly advise for nursery students
- Route availability.
- Seat availability.
- Operational feasibility.
- Have read and understood this Transportation Policy.
- Accept the terms and conditions outlined herein.
- Agree to comply with all transportation procedures and requirements.
- Understand that school transportation is subject to operational, safety, and regulatory requirements.
- Agree to provide accurate and up-to-date contact information.
- Accept that routes, timings, bus allocations, and operational arrangements may change when necessary.
Failure to comply with this Transportation Policy may result in suspension or withdrawal of transportation privileges.
