Every day, thousands of parents across the UAE entrust school buses with the safe transportation of their children. These school bus services are not only essential for families but also play a crucial role in the country’s education system. To understand how the fleets of yellow school buses and their drivers are monitored, Khaleej Times visited the Operations Control Centre (OCC) of a prominent school transport provider. The facility utilizes state-of-the-art technology to ensure safe and efficient bus commutes for students.
Upon entering the OCC, one is greeted by multiple giant screens mounted on walls and a large team of staff members monitoring footage and handling calls. The OCC operates almost around the clock as the central operational hub, leveraging smart technology to manage the fleet and maintain prompt communication with schools and parents. Steve Burnell, managing director of School Transport Services (STS) group, emphasized that they have not outsourced any of their services. All technology procurement, installation, and maintenance are handled in-house. They ensure robust governance and select systems that integrate seamlessly with their IT infrastructure and protect data.
Buses are equipped with both internal and external video surveillance systems to monitor passenger behavior, enabling immediate reporting and investigation of any incidents. The 24-hour Operations Control Centre continuously monitors fleet movements, ensuring real-time surveillance and rapid response to any issues. Driver facial recognition cameras are robust, monitoring driving habits and identifying risky behavior such as blink rate and mobile phone use to ensure driver alertness.
Burnell explained that there was initial skepticism among drivers about being monitored, but it soon became evident that these systems often exonerate them in tricky situations. With vehicle tracking, CCTV, and other monitoring systems in place, any alerts result in immediate investigation, facilitating quick resolution of issues. Drivers are often required to drive defensively due to the aggressive behavior of other motorists, but these systems allow for data analysis and collaboration with authorities to prove that bus drivers were not at fault.
Each bus is equipped with an ‘Alert Button’ on the dashboard for emergencies, sending an immediate alert to the 24-hour Operations Control Centre for prompt action in critical situations. Students can be issued RFID cards that track their boarding and exiting times, feeding this data directly to the OCC. Burnell also mentioned that they closely monitor weather conditions and communicate with schools accordingly.
Ultimately, the OCC serves as the backbone for managing safety alerts, route optimizations, and communication. The advanced technologies create a comprehensive ecosystem that minimizes human errors and enhances response times, ensuring a safe transport experience for students.
