Only 42% of students use school buses, QU study shows

Doha

Only about 42% of students in Qatar use school buses, a Qatar University (QU) study has found. It also revealed that the number of road accidents increased during the school season by 14% compared to the summer vacation time. The findings were unveiled by the Qatar Road Safety Studies Centre (QRSSC) at QU College of Engineering. Conducted earlier this month, the study will serve to highlight the effect that the growing number of schools, the expanding student population, and the limited use of school buses have on traffic conditions. The study also includes an estimation of the total number of daily school trips by students using all modes of transportation, as indicated in the Trip Generation Rates report, generated by Dubai Road Transport Authority. The study has indicated that over 300,000 school students and more than 16,000 students at QU returned to their respective educational institutions in the academic year 2015-16. The results also point out that the proportion of students using school buses is significantly higher at independent schools (53%) where bus services are subsidised, than in private schools (36%). Based on the Dubai Trip Generation Rates, the study also showed that the highest trip rates were generated by the independent secondary schools for girls (0.79 trips/student) and the private schools (0.62 trips/student) during morning peak hours, whereas the independent secondary schools for boys (0.52 trips/student) and the primary and intermediate independent schools (0.43 trips/student) generated lower trip rates. The study further indicated that schools generate about 148,000 daily trips during the morning peak hours. Universities also generate a significant number of trips with QU which has the largest body of students in Qatar, generating about 6,000 daily trips during morning peak hours. The number of road accidents increased during the school season by 14% compared to summer time with the increase of traffic load, the study found. As a solution to these issues, the centre has recommended that mechanisms be implemented to relieve traffic congestion in the areas surrounding schools and universities, and encouraged the use of school buses as a safer form of transportation and a means of alleviating traffic congestion. QU president Dr Hassan al-Derham said: “Road safety is one of the areas of QU’s research focus as well as our community outreach efforts to contribute our expertise towards the welfare and safety of the Qatari society. This study is doubly important at a time when both the number of vehicles and the number of young drivers are on the rise in the country.” QRSSC director Dr Khalifa Nasser al-Khalifa said: “The Trip Generation Rates report plays a core role in providing an understanding of how traffic is related to the country’s development. As we are moving towards an advanced society by 2030, public safety must be our top priority.”