16,000 students, 30 universities and a bus

The only bus route to the City, Route 365, which starts from the Rashidiya metro station, takes over an hour to reach its destination.

The lack of public transport has forced many students to hop into cars and drive to college, while others rely on university buses. Many spend an average of Dh400 on transport, with alternatives hard to come by.

Vinisha Tauro, a mass communication student at Manipal University, says, “If I miss the university bus, I am forced to take a taxi, as taking a public bus would mean missing the first few classes of the day.”

With over 16,000 students in more than 30 universities and institutes, Route 365 is fast proving to be inefficient for several students looking for alternate transport options to the area.

Mohammed Haris, a student at Murdoch University says, “Because the bus ride is too long, I end up using taxis almost thrice a week and more than 75 per cent of my pocket money is spent on travelling.”

While the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) earlier had issued monthly travel cards for students, the new NOL cards do not offer similar discounts for regular travelers. Students are also sore about the few bus shelters near the DIAC.

Joseph John, a media studies professor moots an express service for his wards. “There should be a direct bus from Rashidiya, with no stops at International City or Silicon Oasis. The current journey is too long and by the time students reach their classes, they end up tired and drowsy.”

The RTA should introduce such a service thrice a day, he says.

“It doesn’t need to be a regular bus service. Students have classes in the mornings and evenings. A special university express during these hours would make a big difference as it would be more reliable and convenient for the students.’’

Taxis are not cheap, either. A one-way taxi ride from the Academic City to the nearest metro station costs around Dh40.

Mustafa Khan, a taxi driver, says, “I’ve taken students to Academic City on several occasions. Mostly, they are the ones who miss their university bus and cannot travel by the bus considering there are no direct routes.”

Private transport companies also operate buses for students from Abu Dhabi and Ajman.

Rabeea Hasan, who commutes from Abu Dhabi every day, says, “Living in Abu Dubai, I have no choice but to opt for university transport. My parents restrict me from using public transportation and driving from Abu Dhabi is not a viable option.”

However, according to RTA, all routes are launched depending on the demand. A senior RTA official said that a special team is dedicated for the rationalisation of every route before it is launched. He said that RTA keeps doing surveys every three to six months to find the demand on different routes and depending on it make necessary changes. The official said that RTA will look into the concerns of the students and see what changes can be made to the route.

muaz@khaleejtimes.com