News Details

ITC Enhances Readiness of the The Integrated Transport Centre for New Academic Year in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi on Friday, August 22, 2025– The Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), an affiliate of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, has announced the completion of its preparations for the new academic year. ITC’s plan aims to ensure a safe daily journey for students to and from school, while also maintaining smooth traffic flow in school zones for all road users, including pedestrians, school bus passengers, public transport users, and private vehicle drivers.

The plan is built on two main pillars: raising students’ awareness of road safety rules and enhancing the infrastructure of roads and facilities around schools. By focusing on these measures, ITC seeks to deliver the highest levels of safety and efficiency in mobility at the start of the school year.

The initiative is being implemented in cooperation with strategic partners, schools, and Abu Dhabi Police, and reflects ITC’s role in supporting traffic safety efforts, contributing to a secure and efficient transport system, and realising the leadership’s vision of enhancing quality of life and making Abu Dhabi a safer community—especially for students.

Awareness Campaigns for School Students on Road Safety

During the last academic year, ITC carried out several awareness campaigns across several schools in Abu Dhabi. These initiatives focused on educating students about safe practices when using school buses and crossing roads near schools. More than 900 students took part, and ITC is preparing to relaunch the campaigns for the 2025–2026 school year, expanding their reach to more schools.

The campaigns are tailored to different age groups, using engaging educational methods and interactive platforms designed to present information in a fun and effective way, thereby instilling strong road safety awareness among students.

Development Studies to Enhance School Infrastructure

As part of its efforts to improve school transport infrastructure in Abu Dhabi, ITC has conducted studies and prepared development designs for over 60 schools. These involved identifying transport and safety challenges through direct engagement with school administrations and carrying out site visits and surveys.

The results led to customised solutions for each school, such as increasing parking capacity for buses and private cars, and improving traffic flow around schools, all of which contribute to safer road environments.

Measures to Boost Safety in School Transport

ITC has also implemented a range of measures to enhance safety in the school transport sector, including regular inspection tours to ensure buses are ready for service, and training workshops to raise awareness among operators, drivers, supervisors, and transport coordinators on adhering to safety standards.

Inspection teams will also be deployed at busy school locations from the start of the academic year to help manage traffic flow. In addition, ITC has updated technical specifications for school buses and introduced new safety features, such as an additional stop sign on buses with capacity for more than 40 passengers.

Continuous Development of the “Salama” Smart Application

As the regulatory authority overseeing school transport in Abu Dhabi, ITC continues to enhance and monitor the “Salama” app, which is part of an integrated system for managing school transport. ITC organises training workshops for transport coordinators, operators, and supervisors in Abu Dhabi City, Al Ain Region, and Al Dhafra Region, alongside specialised programmes for drivers and supervisors to reinforce their responsibilities in maintaining safety standards.

Recent figures from the Salama system show that 222 operators are registered, managing 9,425 buses and 9,379 drivers, supported by 11,136 supervisors. The system currently serves 690 schools, with 213,424 students benefiting from its school transport services. Moreover, the Salama app for parents has been downloaded more than 81,800 times.