'40 Minutes For 2Km': UAE Schools Are Back, And So Is Heavy Traffic

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The school run is back - and so are the queues.

As students across the UAE settle into the new academic yea, parents and schools are already feeling the familiar pressure of heavier traffic around campuses, particularly during morning drop-offs when school traffic overlaps with the daily office-hour rush.

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For some families, the congestion is adding significantly to what should be relatively short journeys, while school transport operators say the first week has brought heavier-than-usual traffi as families and staff adjust to new routines.

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For Dubai parent Arijit Nandi, the afternoon journey home for his son can take far longer than the distance would suggest.“My son returns home by school bus. His school finishes at 3pm, but even though we live only about 2km away, it takes around 40 minutes for him to get home,” he said.

The journey is longer partly because school buses have multiple children to drop off, but the morning school run brings another challenge - traffic around the campus.

Nandi said his wife, who drives their son to school, had noticed“long tailbacks around the school zone”, particularly around the U-turns ahead of the school in Emirates Hills area.

“You can really see the difference now that schools are back - the roads around school areas are busy again, especially around drop-off and pick up areas, with the familiar queues and congestion returning,” he said.

Parents factor in extra time as school zones fill up

The same pattern is being seen in other Dubai communities, with parents in areas such as Arabian Ranches adjusting their schedules around the renewed school traffic.

Majd Hakim, whose daughter attends a school in the vicinity, said the change was immediately noticeable once schools reopened.

“Now that schools are back, you can immediately feel the difference on the roads around Arabian Ranches, where we live,” she said.

Traffic becomes particularly challenging around drop-off and pick-up times, with vehicles queuing and moving slowly through school zones.

“It's a familiar part of the school routine every September, the roads get busier, and you have to factor in extra time for the school run,” Hakim said.

The congestion is not limited to Dubai. Schools in other emirates are also seeing the impact of the return to normal school and working-day routines.

At Woodlem Park School in Al Jurf, Ajman, transport in-charge Mujeeb said the first week had brought heavier traffic, although conditions were already beginning to improve.

“The first week has seen heavier-than-usual traffic, with some rush during school and peak office hours,” he said.

“However, the situation has been well managed, and traffic flow has gradually become smoother as families and staff settle into the new routine.”

The timing of the school run remains a key factor. Morning drop-off is proving more difficult because it coincides with the wider morning commute, while afternoon traffic has been comparatively easier to manage.

“Morning drop-off has been more challenging as it coincides with peak office-hour traffic, while afternoon pick-up has been relatively smooth and manageable,” Mujeeb said.

Private cars remain a major part of the school commute

The scale of the daily school commute also highlights why school zones can become particularly congested during peak periods.

The Roads and Transport Authority's (RTA) data shows that private cars remain one of the main ways students travel to school. A survey of more than 20,000 parents during the 2025–2026 academic year found that around 47 per cent of students travel by private vehicle, while 44 per cent use school buses.

The remainder walk, use public transport or rely on individual and shared mobility options.

The survey also found that 91 per cent of parents use designated student drop-off and pick-up areas in school zones.

With thousands of vehicles converging on school areas within a relatively short window each morning and afternoon, even small delays can quickly translate into longer queues.

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has therefore used the summer break to carry out traffic upgrades at six school-zone locations across the emirate, benefiting more than 10 schools in Wadi Al Safa 4, Al Barsha, Umm Al Sheif, Dubai Motor City, Dubai Studio City and Al Sufouh.

The projects were aimed at easing congestion and improving safety for students, parents and school staff before the start of the new academic year.

Among the projects is a new road linking Al Qudra Road and Hessa Street through Dubai Motor City and Dubai Studio City, improving access to and from GEMS Metropole School – Motor City.

RTA has also doubled parking capacity at Horizon International School in Umm Al Sheif by adding new spaces, while improving the entrances and exits of the service road beside the Al Barsha South schools complex.

At The International School of Choueifat – Dubai in Al Sufouh, at-grade traffic improvements have been introduced, while road and safety upgrades have also been carried out around GEMS Winchester School – Dubai in Wadi Al Safa 4.

Drivers have also been urged to reduce speed when entering school zones, remain prepared to stop at pedestrian crossings and watch for children who may suddenly emerge from between parked vehicles.

Meanwhile, Sharjah's Roads and Transport Authority has completed road development and maintenance works in the Al Jazzat and Al Hazana areas as schools across the UAE began the new academic year.

The works included developing and maintaining asphalt layers along roads in both directions, as well as repainting and renewing road markings.

The upgrades form part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Sharjah's road network, improve traffic flow and enhance safety for motorists and other road users.

Back in Ajman, schools expect the early disruption to ease as families become accustomed to new timings, routes and routines.

Mujeeb said cooperation between parents and staff would be important in keeping the school commute moving.

“With the cooperation of parents and staff, we expect the commute to become even more streamlined in the coming weeks,” he said.

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